The Big Bash League (BBL) is Australia’s premier domestic men’s T20 cricket competition. It was launched by Cricket Australia in 2011 and introduced a franchise-style tournament with eight teams representing major Australian cities. Sydney and Melbourne each have two teams, while Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth have one team each.
The competition has become one of the most popular domestic T20 leagues in the world, attracting Australian stars, overseas players and some of the country’s best young cricketers. The Perth Scorchers have been the most successful team in BBL history, and they extended their record to six titles by winning the 2025–26 season.
What Is the Big Bash League?
The Big Bash League is a professional Twenty20 cricket tournament organised by Cricket Australia. The competition normally takes place during the Australian summer, with matches played across stadiums in different parts of the country.
The league was created in 2011 as a city-based replacement for Australia’s previous state-based domestic T20 competition. The original BBL structure featured eight teams from six cities, a format that has remained at the centre of the competition.
The BBL has also become an important pathway for Australian players. Young domestic cricketers can compete alongside established international players, while overseas stars bring experience and different styles of T20 cricket to the tournament.
Big Bash League History
The first Big Bash League season was played in 2011–12. The Sydney Sixers became the first champions after defeating the Perth Scorchers in the inaugural final.
The Brisbane Heat won their first title in 2012–13 before the Perth Scorchers began establishing themselves as the dominant side of the competition. Perth won consecutive titles in 2013–14 and 2014–15, followed by Sydney Thunder’s maiden championship in 2015–16.
Adelaide Strikers won their first BBL title in 2017–18, while Melbourne Renegades claimed their only championship so far in 2018–19.
The Sydney Sixers then enjoyed another strong period, winning consecutive titles in 2019–20 and 2020–21. The Perth Scorchers returned to the top in 2021–22 and successfully defended their title in 2022–23.
Brisbane Heat won the 2023–24 season, while Hobart Hurricanes finally captured their first men’s BBL title in 2024–25. The Hurricanes defeated Sydney Thunder by seven wickets in the final, with Mitch Owen scoring 108 from 42 balls.
Perth Scorchers reclaimed the trophy in BBL|15, beating Sydney Sixers by six wickets on January 25, 2026. Perth bowled the Sixers out for 132 before reaching the target in 17.3 overs. The victory gave the Scorchers a record sixth BBL championship.
Big Bash League Winners List
| Season | Winner | Runner-up |
| 2011–12 | Sydney Sixers | Perth Scorchers |
| 2012–13 | Brisbane Heat | Perth Scorchers |
| 2013–14 | Perth Scorchers | Hobart Hurricanes |
| 2014–15 | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers |
| 2015–16 | Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Stars |
| 2016–17 | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers |
| 2017–18 | Adelaide Strikers | Hobart Hurricanes |
| 2018–19 | Melbourne Renegades | Melbourne Stars |
| 2019–20 | Sydney Sixers | Melbourne Stars |
| 2020–21 | Sydney Sixers | Perth Scorchers |
| 2021–22 | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers |
| 2022–23 | Perth Scorchers | Brisbane Heat |
| 2023–24 | Brisbane Heat | Sydney Sixers |
| 2024–25 | Hobart Hurricanes | Sydney Thunder |
| 2025–26 | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers |
Perth Scorchers are the most successful BBL team with six championships. Sydney Sixers have won three titles, while Brisbane Heat have won two. Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes have each won once.
Big Bash League Teams
The Big Bash League currently has eight teams:
- Adelaide Strikers
- Brisbane Heat
- Hobart Hurricanes
- Melbourne Renegades
- Melbourne Stars
- Perth Scorchers
- Sydney Sixers
- Sydney Thunder
The eight teams are based in six Australian cities. Melbourne and Sydney have two teams each, while Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth have one team each.
Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers represent South Australia and play their home matches at Adelaide Oval. They won their first BBL title in the 2017–18 season.
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat represent Queensland and are based at the Gabba. They have won two BBL titles, with championships coming in 2012–13 and 2023–24.
Hobart Hurricanes
The Hobart Hurricanes represent Tasmania and play their home matches at Ninja Stadium in Hobart. They won their first BBL title in 2024–25 after beating Sydney Thunder in the final.
Melbourne Renegades
The Melbourne Renegades are one of two BBL teams from Melbourne. They won their only championship in 2018–19 after defeating the Melbourne Stars in the final.
Melbourne Stars
The Melbourne Stars are the second Melbourne franchise. Despite regularly competing in the finals, they have yet to win a BBL championship.
Perth Scorchers
The Perth Scorchers are the most successful team in BBL history. They won their sixth championship in 2025–26 after defeating Sydney Sixers in the final at Optus Stadium.
Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers were the inaugural BBL champions and have won three titles. They have also been regular finalists and were runners-up to Perth in the 2025–26 final.
Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder won their first BBL title in 2015–16. They were also runners-up in the 2024–25 season against Hobart Hurricanes.
Big Bash League Format
The BBL has eight teams competing in the regular season. In recent seasons, each team has played 10 matches during a 40-game home-and-away phase. The top four teams then advance to the finals series.
The finals system gives the top two teams an important advantage. They meet in the Qualifier, with the winner progressing directly to the final. The loser receives another opportunity through the Challenger.
The teams finishing third and fourth play in the Knockout. The winner of that match faces the Qualifier loser in the Challenger, with the winner of the Challenger taking the second place in the final.
The system rewards teams that finish higher in the regular-season standings while still giving other finalists a route to the championship.
BBL 2025–26
The 2025–26 season was the 15th completed edition of the Big Bash League. The regular season ran from December 2025 into January 2026, with Perth Scorchers finishing first on the points table after seven wins from 10 matches. Sydney Sixers finished second, Hobart Hurricanes third and Melbourne Stars fourth.
Perth then defeated the Sydney Sixers by 48 runs in the Qualifier to reach the final. Sydney recovered by beating Hobart Hurricanes by 57 runs in the Challenger.
The final was played between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers at Optus Stadium on January 25, 2026. Sydney scored 132 in 20 overs, but Perth chased the target comfortably and reached 133 for four with 15 balls remaining. Perth won by six wickets and secured its sixth BBL title.
Finn Allen was one of Perth’s leading performers during the campaign, scoring 466 runs at an average of 42.36 and making his maiden BBL century. Cooper Connolly was the team’s leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets.
BBL 2026–27
The 2026–27 season will be the 16th edition of the Big Bash League. BBL|16 is scheduled to run from December 12, 2026, to January 26, 2027, with 44 matches planned across the competition.
The season will begin with a historic match in India. Melbourne Renegades will face defending champions Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on December 12. It will be the first Big Bash League match to be played outside Australia.
The regular season will again be followed by a four-match finals series involving the top four teams. The BBL|16 final is scheduled for January 26, 2027.
Another major change for BBL|16 will be the introduction of a designated batter and designated fielder rule, giving teams additional tactical options during matches.
All eight established teams will continue to compete in BBL|16. Earlier discussions about possible changes to the Melbourne franchises did not affect the upcoming season, with both Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades confirmed to play in 2026–27.
Most Successful Big Bash League Teams
| Team | BBL Titles |
| Perth Scorchers | 6 |
| Sydney Sixers | 3 |
| Brisbane Heat | 2 |
| Adelaide Strikers | 1 |
| Hobart Hurricanes | 1 |
| Melbourne Renegades | 1 |
| Sydney Thunder | 1 |
| Melbourne Stars | 0 |
Perth Scorchers lead the championship table with six titles from 15 completed seasons. Sydney Sixers are second with three championships, while Brisbane Heat have two.
Big Bash League Records and Highlights
The Perth Scorchers have established the strongest record in the competition. They have reached the BBL finals on 12 of the 15 occasions available through BBL|15 and have played in nine grand finals, winning six of them.
Ashton Turner has also played a major role in Perth’s success. He became a five-time BBL champion after the 2025–26 final and became the first player to captain a team to three BBL championships.
Mitch Owen produced one of the most memorable recent BBL performances when he scored 108 from 42 balls in the 2025 final. His century came from 39 balls, matching the fastest century in BBL history at the time.
The BBL has also continued to experiment with its format and scheduling. The 2026–27 season will take this further by staging the first BBL match outside Australia, while the league has also introduced new tactical rules and expanded its use of different venues.
Big Bash League At a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Big Bash League |
| Governing Body | Cricket Australia |
| Format | Twenty20 |
| First Season | 2011–12 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Countries | Australia |
| Most Successful Team | Perth Scorchers |
| Most Titles | 6 |
| Latest Champion | Perth Scorchers |
| Latest Season | BBL |
| BBL | 15 Runner-up |
| BBL | 16 Dates |
| BBL | 16 Teams |
| BBL | 16 Final |
FAQs
Q. When did the Big Bash League start?
A. The Big Bash League started in 2011–12.
Q. How many teams play in the BBL?
A. Eight teams play in the Big Bash League.
Q. Which team has won the most BBL titles?
A. Perth Scorchers have won the most with six titles.
Q. Who won the latest Big Bash League season?
A. Perth Scorchers won the 2025–26 season.
Q. When will BBL|16 start?
A. BBL|16 will start on December 12, 2026.
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