Revealed: The 10 richest T20 leagues in the world with astonishing IPL valuation

Jonhenry Wilson 08 Oct 2025

MI Cape Town are the reigning SA20 champions

Which are the richest T20 cricket leagues on the planet?

It’s a question well worth pondering as cricket boards and local and international players jostle for more spend amid increasing competition.

The domestic T20 circuit around the globe has seen a few ‘fly by night’ leagues come and go, but there are several more that have become cricketing and financial mainstays on the global calendar.

1. Indian Premier League

Started: 2008
Value: $10.9 billion

This is the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s brainchild – and longstanding pride and joy. They have former IPL boss Lalit Modi to thank for the bulk of its success. He put in the hard graft at the start before becoming unpopular down the line.

No other league has come even close to competing with the IPL on a financial front – and it’s highly likely this tournament will ever be trumped. It is the benchmark and flagbearer – and long may it continue.

2. International League T20

Started: 2023
Value: $15 million

One of the newest kids on the block, the ILT20 quickly rose to second position among the richest T20 leagues in the world. It is now, however, certainly under threat from the success of the SA20.

The next time this list is updated, you’ll probably see South Africa’s showpiece take over from the United Arab Emirates’ premier event. The ILT20 has already moved its window in order to not directly compete with the SA20.

3. SA20

Started: 2023
Value: $12.5 million

Cricket South Africa were crying out for a boost in the wake of the Global League T20’s failure to launch and the spluttering attempts of the Mzansi Super League.

Up stepped former Proteas captain Graeme Smith, who has become SA20 commissioner and turned to the tournament into a massive success. How? Why through his excellent relationships with Indian personalities, of course. All six of the SA20 teams are owned by IPL franchises.

4. Big Bash League

Started: 2011
Value: $10 million

Cricket Australia were among the early adopters of T20 cricket at domestic level – and swiftly turned the Big Bash into a profitable machine. But its popularity as waned over recent years.

Rule changes, experimental playing conditions and other factors have contribute to its drop in the ranks. And as much as its scheduling across the holiday period in Australia can be empowering, it can also be limiting in terms of crowd numbers.

Also read – Ranked: The top 12 wicket-takers for India in Tests

5. The Hundred

Started: 2021
Value: $9 million

Think what you will about The Hundred’s format and effective canabalisation of the T20 Blast, the England and Wales Cricket Board will be happy with its growth.

Indian Premier League investment is coming its way soon, so look out for, say, MI London over London Spirit. The ECB took a big risk and, despite initial protestations, the format and tournament as a whole is growing on the public.

6. Major League Cricket

Started: 2023
Value: $6.9 million

We’ll have to see where this one goes, as MLC’s termination of their relationship with American Cricket Enterprises could have a negative effect. ACE had been hired to run the league for USA Cricket.

Speaking of USA Cricket, they’re consistently under the watchful eye of the International Cricket Council – and are currently suspended. Such a pity, as the United States’ Minor League Cricket Championship has plenty of promise and needs more funding.

7. Pakistan Super League

Started: 2016
Value: $5.7 million

Once right up there among the top five richest T20 leagues in the world, the PSL has lost ground to a couple of others in the recent past. The tournament has a strong grassroots pipeline, which contributes to the upliftment of burgeoning local stars.

Much like the Bangladesh Premier League, which we’ll look at in a bit, the PSL is less reliant on overseas stars as some of the other bigger leagues. It has its own little homegrown eco-system running along quite nicely.

8. Bangladesh Premier League

Started: 2012
Value: $4.8 million

The BPL started, more or less, the same time as the Big Bash League, but certainly hasn’t enjoyed the same success. For its location and need to co-exist with more popular leagues in a jampacked calendar, the BPL doesn’t really attract big stars.

So, like the PSL, it relies on big local names such as Shakib Al Hasan to step up and avail themselves. But that doesn’t always happen – and that’s where third- or even fourth-tier players from overseas start to make up the numbers.

9. Caribbean Premier League

Started: 2013
Value: $4.6 million

The West Indies’ Cricket Board’s premier T20 tournament was higher on this list of richest T20 leagues once upon a time. But with the advent of Major League Cricket in the USA and even the Global T20 Canada, it has lost its strong commercial attraction of the past.

It’s very much a convenient afterthought for West Indian stars such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and others, who make their mega millions in the IPL as a priority before obliging the CPL with their participation.

10. Lanka Premier League

Started: 2020
Value: $3 million

Sri Lanka’s top T20 tournament as suffered time and time again. The tournament chops and changes franchises for various reasons each season – and just doesn’t collect enough cricketing and financial consistency.

New Zealand’s Super Smash, the T20 Blast in the United Kingdom and a few other leagues exist, too, but are not financially strong enough to make this list of the richest T20 leagues in the world.

Richest T20 leagues – top 10 summary list

1. Indian Premier League: $10.9 billion
2. International T20 League: $15 million
3. SA20 South Africa: $12.5 million
4. Big Bash League: $10 million
5. The Hundred: $9 million
6. Major League Cricket: $6.9 million
7. Pakistan Super League: $5.7 million
8. Bangladesh Premier League: $4.8 million
9. Caribbean Premier League: $4.6 million
10. Lanka Premier League: $3 million