Karachi, August 9, 2025: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been ranked as the world’s second most entertaining men’s franchise cricket tournament by BBC Sport, trailing only the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the global standings.
The rankings, released earlier this week, were compiled by BBC Sport in collaboration with cricket analytics company CricViz. The study assessed major T20 and short-format franchise competitions, including the IPL, PSL, South Africa’s SA20, Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20), and The Hundred in England.
Performance and entertainment-related metrics were measured across multiple categories: average number of boundaries per match, batting strike rates, frequency of close finishes, wicket-taking patterns, home advantage trends, and the level of international experience among playing XIs.
The PSL emerged as the leader in average first-innings scores, posting 180 runs per match — edging past the IPL’s 179. It also ranked second in boundaries per game and close finishes, with 27.5% of matches decided in the final over, just behind the IPL’s 28.9%.
In terms of player quality, the PSL averaged 351 international caps per match across starting XIs, second only to the ILT20’s 423, aided by the UAE league’s higher quota of overseas players.
In the overall “Entertainment Index,” the IPL topped the table with a score of 4.53 out of 5, followed by the PSL at 3.90. The ILT20 (2.44) placed third, The Hundred fourth, CPL fifth, and SA20 sixth, with the BBL finishing last.
The BBC report praised the PSL for delivering “quality, thrill, and big runs,” highlighting its competitive matches, high-scoring encounters, and ability to attract top international talent.
Since its launch in 2016, the PSL has grown into one of cricket’s most prominent franchise leagues, featuring six city-based teams and offering a platform for emerging Pakistani players to shine alongside global stars.
