Two unique cricket leagues, ECL and CCL, are once again gaining a lot of attention. The Entertainers Cricket League is all set for Season 2, with the recent ECL auction wrapping up as all six teams worked to perfect their squads. These teams will now aim to perform well in the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, the Celebrity Cricket League is set to begin its 11th season on January 31, 2025, featuring teams like Karnataka Bulldozers, Mumbai Heroes, Bhojpuri Dabanggs, Telugu Warriors, Bengal Tigers, Chennai Rhinos, Kerala Strikers, and Punjab De Sher. A total of 8 teams are gearing up for this big event.
But are you aware of how these leagues differ in format? Despite being unique leagues, their formats vary massively. Take a look at the differences between the ECL and CCL formats.
Entertainers Cricket League format
Compared to the CCL format, the Entertainers Cricket League is quite simple to understand, as it is a 10-over competition. Last season, a total of 19 games were played in a round-robin format, where each team faced their rivals once. The top four teams then advanced to the playoffs.
In ECL 2024, there were a total of 15 league matches and 4 playoff games. Chances are, the upcoming season will follow a similar structure. However, apart from the ECL auction, not many details about this tournament have been revealed so far.
Celebrity Cricket League format
The Celebrity Cricket League is vastly different from the Entertainers Cricket League. In the CCL, eight teams participate, including Karnataka Bulldozers, Mumbai Heroes, Bhojpuri Dabanggs, Telugu Warriors, Bengal Tigers, Chennai Rhinos, Kerala Strikers, and Punjab De Sher. Each team plays two innings of 10 overs each in a format resembling Test matches popularly known as 20 Over Test format and follows round robin and knockout.
In this league, teams play four matches each, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals. Although earlier seasons followed a simple, straightforward league format, recent seasons got a tweak, the loser of the first qualifier now gets another chance to reach the final through a second qualifier.