The 13th edition of the main tournament, Big Bash League (BBL), will commence on December 7, with the finals on January 24. Notably, the final of the tournament will be played in the middle of the week for the second time in the tournament’s history, due to Cricket Australia’s busy schedule at that time of year. The board has failed to locate a suitable time for the final because the West Indies will be playing a day and night Test against the local squad (Jan 25-29).
On the other hand, the number of games in the new season will be reduced. The league stage will consist of only 40 games, followed by the qualifier stage consisting of Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2, Eliminator and the final.
CA General Manager said
Cricket Australia’s general manager of Big Bash Leagues said ahead of the Big Bash talked about the format of the tournament.
“The dates of the KFC BBL season will again compliment the overall shape of this summer’s cricket schedule and culminate with finals well within the school holidays,” said Alistair Dobson.
“The start of the season will also present some unique opportunities to engage with communities, connect with fans and introduce exciting new initiatives, which will be announced in due course,” he added.
The ninth edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) will begin on October 19, and unlike the men’s edition, the number of matches will not be reduced. The schedule is scheduled to be released by the end of next month, and four clubs will qualify for the following round, as opposed to five in prior seasons.
The WBBL will also hold its first draught this season. Last year, over 330 players from all around the world submitted their names for the BBL, and Cricket Australia anticipates a similar amount for the WBBL this season.
“As we saw last year, the BBL overseas player draft injected significant excitement and interest into the global T20 market, and we look forward to seeing this extend to the WBBL this year,” Alistair Dobson said.
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