A massive report has been revealed on the Big Bash League and the privatisation of the global T20 league in Australia. Cricket Australia is considering other investors, and they do not want to sell more than 2-3 teams to Indian owners.
The privatisation of the BBL was confirmed to take place before the start of the ongoing season of the Big Bash League. Cricket Australia had announced that, for the growth of the Big Bash League, it has considered privatising some of the teams in the BBL.
On the final matchday of Big Bash League 2025-26, when two of the most successful BBL sides, Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers, clashed against each other in the final, renowned sports journalist Tom Morris revealed some shocking facts on the BBL privatisation.
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“Cricket Australia doesn’t want to sell more than 2-3 teams to Indian owners” – Latest report on BBL private ownership
Indian owners have been some of the most prominent investors in the globalisation of cricket, especially with the growing surge of franchise-level T20 cricket leagues around the world. Starting from the IPL, Indian team owners have now invested in teams in the MLC, SA20, CPL, The Hundred and the ILT20 as well.
Big names include the Super Kings franchise, the MI franchise, and the Sunrisers franchise, who are among the top investors in franchise-level cricket. Hence, when BBL teams were talked of being handed over to investors, Indian companies came up with their interests and proposals.
Australia, one of the most significant cricket-loving nations, could be a great market to buy for these companies. However, the report suggests that Cricket Australia does not intend to sell more than 2-3 teams to the Indian owners and hence, has its eyes on American investors as well.
However, they have not ruled out the Indian investors, as they consider it crucial to bring them on board to attract Indian players to the league in the future, considering India possesses one of the widest pools of talented cricketers.
“Cricket Australia doesn’t want to sell more than 2-3 teams to Indian owners. Keep a close eye on US investors too…. But it is important to bring India in to a degree, in the hope that eventually player movement from Indians in the BBL will become a reality,” revealed Tom Morris on SEN cricket.
“CA doesn’t want to sell more than 2-3 teams to Indian owners. Keep a close eye on US investors too…. But it is important to bring India in to a degree, in the hope that eventually player movement from Indians in the BBL will become a reality. The Thunder and the Renegades if…
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) January 25, 2026
Three teams to be sold to private owners in the BBL
Every Big Bash League franchise has been estimated to be around 150+ million dollars by Cricket Australia, and only two of the named BBL franchises are likely to have 100% of their ownership handed to private investors.
The Sydney Thunder and the Melbourne Renegades, both franchises, are likely to sell 100% of their shares to the private owners, while the other possible franchise that might be turning up for privatisation, which includes the most successful team, the Perth Scorchers, will only hand partial ownership of 49% to the investor, while the rest remains with Cricket Australia.
“It’s estimated that each BBL club is worth between 150 to 200 million. The Thunder and the Renegades, if they are sold—as I expect they eventually will be—are far more likely to be sold 100%.
“If there was a third team to be sold, I believe that of the other franchises, the Perth Scorchers are the most likely team to be sold to a 49% investor,” said Morris.
“January is BBL, April and May are IPL, and August is The Hundred”
Morris also pointed out that currently, the franchise leagues are being planned so that international cricketers can participate equally in these competitions with nothing clashing with their international schedule.
He identified that cricket is under a utopia, that is, an imaginative trance according to which they see the three biggest franchise leagues, the IPL, the BBL and The Hundred, as the three new Grand Slams.
“I think there is a utopia here on the global scale. That is, to treat the three biggest franchise leagues like they are Grand Slams. January is BBL, April and May are IPL, and August is The Hundred,” he said.
This window will facilitate the international schedule so as not hinder any of these three leagues. The remainder of the eight months can be used for designated international Test cricket and ICC tournaments.
“I think there is a utopia here on the global scale. That is, to treat the three biggest franchise leagues like they are Grand Slams. January is BBL, April and May is IPL and August is The Hundred.
It means Test cricket can survive and just 4 of the 12 months of the year are…
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) January 25, 2026
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