It may surprise many to learn that Cricket is one of the most played sports in the world. Despite there being just 4200 professional cricketers, there are over 30 million registered players in the world with many of them playing in Asia.
The sport’s origins date back as early as the 13th century in England. It is believed to have begun as a game in which country boys bowled at a tree stump or at the hurdle gate into a sheep pen. This gate consisted of two uprights and a crossbar resting on the slotted tops; the crossbar was called a bail and the entire gate a wicket.
It’s origins in England explain why the sport is so popular across the pond, however the sport has begun to gain traction across the world and the International Cricket Council say that it is now played in over 125 countries and the popularity of the sport has ensured there are markets on the vast majority of sports betting apps all over the world.
This increase in the reputation for players also means there are more eyes on competitions as well. There are plenty of different cricket competitions and tournaments each year, but which are the biggest? Let’s take a look.
Indian Premier League
The IPL is the most popular club-cricket competition in the world, with 10 teams competing to become champions. Beginning in 2008, it was the first major T20 league. T20 cricket differs to test cricket in that T20 matches have a total of 40 overs for two teams whilst test cricket has to cover 450 overs and the players would be required to play for around 5 days. The fast paced, slog-heavy style of T20 makes the IPL extremely attractive to viewers who want the same level of excitement as you would get in a football game. With a great mix of established stars and younger talent, the IPL is the biggest club-cricket competition in the world.
The Ashes
The Ashes is a test series played between Australia and England every two years and first started in 1882. Australia vs England is Cricket’s oldest rivalry making this series just as exciting for neutrals as it is for fans of either nation. The term ‘The Ashes’ has a great backstory and the series has hosted some of the most nail-biting finales in the sport. Overall, Australia have got the better of England 34 times to England’s 32, with that tight lead proving the level of competition between the two cricketing nations to be strong. The next series is due to take place next summer at Edgbaston in Warwickshire, England.
ICC Champions Trophy
The ICC Champions trophy is a one-day international tournament organised by the ICC. Eight teams play in two pools of four in a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each pool playing in the semi-finals. The stakes are high in the tournament and losing a single match can potentially mean elimination. The tournament was actually nearly finished in both 2013 and 2021 but its popularity saw it reinstated both times. Pakistan are current champions, and the next tournament will be held there in 2025.
T20 World Cup
Whilst the IPL is the most popular T20 league in the world, the T20 World Cup is the biggest T20 tournament. Beginning in 2007, the tournament quickly grew in popularity as more people turned towards the excitement of T20 over test cricket. It is contested within groups in the early rounds before heading into knockout rounds. In each group stage, teams are ranked against each other based on the following criteria:
- Higher number of points
- If equal, higher number of wins
- If still equal, higher net run rate
- If still equal, lower bowling strike rate
- If still equal, result of head-to-head meeting.
Australia are the current champions after winning their first title in 2021 and will also host the event this year as they look to defend their crown.
ICC Cricket World Cup
Cricket’s most prestigious and popular tournament is undoubtably the Cricket World Cup. Taking place once every four years, the biggest cricketing nations in the world compete to call themselves the best. Considered the “flagship event of the international cricket calendar” by the ICC, the first tournament was held in 1975 in England. Although going through many changes, the current format has every team scheduled to play against each other once in a round robin format, before entering the semifinals and eventually the Final. England are current holders of the trophy, winning their first title in 2019, with Australia the most successful overall having won five times in total. The 2023 edition will be held in India in what will surely be yet another exciting instalment of the ICC Cricket World Cup.