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The Indian Premier League (IPL) and The Hundred are two well-known cricket tournaments that have garnered considerable recognition in the realm of cricket. While both are recognized as professional T20 leagues, they possess individual traits that differentiate them.
England’s prized all-rounder, Sam Curran, has weighed in on the comparison between two marquee T20 leagues, expressing his belief that The Hundred possesses the qualities to become a worthy contender for the second-best T20 league spot after the IPL. Speaking about the matter, Curran acknowledged that while both leagues have their unique characteristics, The Hundred has made considerable progress since its inception.
Notably, The Hundred’s first edition took place in 2021, consisting of 64 matches – 32 for men and 32 for women. Teams such as Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave claimed the titles in the respective categories. Reflecting on the journey of The Hundred, Curran noted the substantial support the league has garnered and how familiarity with the format has grown among players and fans.
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“I think the players are more used to the format and teams have been pretty stable over the three years so they are familiar faces to the fans. Good crowds, good pitches, lots of close games, we have had fantastic support. England is a great place to play cricket with all the big grounds and definitely it can be second to IPL. All the domestic talent we have should make us achieve that anyway,” said Curran as quoted by The Telegraph.
Curran emphasized The Hundred’s strategic timing
One of the key factors Curran highlighted was the stability of teams over the years. He pointed out that consistent line-ups have enabled fans to develop affinities for their favorite teams and players, contributing to a strong fan base for The Hundred. Moreover, Curran emphasized the league’s strategic timing, with matches scheduled during school holidays, making it convenient for young cricket enthusiasts to be a part of the action-packed games.
“The timing of it in the school holidays was designed to encourage a new audience and there are a lot of kids at matches, which has been nice. The support in the third season, is been noticeable, that the fans now have teams they want to back and have familiarity with the format as well. We see a lot of kids wearing the shirts and waiting after the game to get autographs and caps and that kind of stuff. It is about inspiring those people to one day play in these grounds,” added Curran.
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Curran is representing Oval Invincibles in the ongoing season. The Invincibles have secured a birth in the final where they will meet the winner of the Eliminator between Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave.
