The 2026 cricket season brings renewed focus on the world’s leading T20 franchise leagues.
The ipl vs psl comparison 2026 highlights significant differences in financial structure, player acquisition, and global reach.
The IPL enters its 18th season with established commercial dominance, while the PSL begins its 10th season with structural reforms, including a shift to auction-based player selection.
Both leagues continue to shape modern T20 cricket through talent development and competitive formats.
This analysis examines verified data across team structures, player earnings, viewership figures, and tournament performance.
IPL vs PSL Comparison 2026
The comparison focuses on measurable metrics rather than subjective assessments.
IPL vs PSL Full Comparison
| Factor | IPL | PSL |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Year | 2008 | 2016 |
| Governing Board | BCCI | PCB |
| Number of Teams | 10 | 6 |
| Seasons Completed | 17 (18th ongoing in 2025) | 9 (10th ongoing in 2025) |
| Player Selection | Auction Model | Auction Model (from 2026) |
| Team Salary Cap | ₹120 crore (approx.) | $1.6 million |
| Winner Prize Money | ₹20 crore | ₹4.13 crore |
| Media Rights (Recent) | $6.4 billion (4 seasons) | $24 million |
| Peak Viewership (2024) | 620 million (digital) | 150 million (digital) |
1. Foundation Year
- IPL Foundation
The Board of Control for Cricket in India officially launched the IPL in 2007, with the inaugural season played in 2008. The league was designed to combine international stars with domestic talent through a franchise model. The 2025 season marks the 18th edition of the tournament.
- PSL Foundation
The Pakistan Cricket Board founded the PSL in 2015, conducting the first season during the 2015-16 period. The league aimed to revive domestic cricket infrastructure and provide competitive opportunities for Pakistani players. Ten seasons have been completed as of 2025.
2. Number Of Seasons
- IPL Season Count
The IPL has completed 17 seasons since 2008. The 18th season began on March 21, 2025, and will conclude on May 25, 2025. The league maintained consistency in scheduling despite global disruptions, including pandemic-related adjustments.
- PSL Season Count
The PSL has completed nine seasons since its 2016 launch. The 10th season in 2025 was scheduled to avoid conflict with Pakistan’s hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy, which ran from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
3. Number Of Teams
- IPL Teams Structure
The IPL operated with eight teams until 2021. Two franchises were added in 2022, expanding the league to ten teams. Current participants include Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants.
- PSL Teams Structure
The PSL maintains six teams: Islamabad United, Multan Sultans, Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi Kings, and Lahore Qalandars. The league has not announced expansion plans beyond this structure.
4. Most Successful Batter And Bowler
- Top IPL Performers
Virat Kohli holds the record for most runs in IPL history with 8,004 runs across multiple seasons. Yuzvendra Chahal leads the wicket-taking charts with 205 dismissals, establishing himself as the tournament’s most successful bowler.
- Top PSL Performers
Babar Azam tops the PSL run-scoring list with 3,504 runs. Wahab Riaz, now retired from international cricket, remains the highest wicket-taker in PSL history with 113 wickets across his tournament career.
5. First Champions & Latest Champions
- IPL Champions Timeline
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural 2008 IPL title under Shane Warne’s captaincy, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final. Kolkata Knight Riders are the current champions, winning the 2024 title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership.
- PSL Champions Timeline
Islamabad United claimed the first PSL title under Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy. They also won the 2024 championship, securing their third title and establishing themselves as the league’s most successful franchise.
6. Most Successful Teams
- IPL Dominant Teams
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings share the record for most IPL titles with five championships each. Mumbai Indians won in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 under Rohit Sharma. Chennai Super Kings secured titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
- PSL Dominant Teams
Islamabad United leads the PSL championship records with three titles. They won under different captains: Misbah-ul-Haq for the first title, JP Duminy for the second, and Shadab Khan for the 2023 championship. No other PSL franchise has won more than two titles.
7. Prize Distribution In IPL And PSL
The IPL vs PSL Prize Comparison 2026 reveals substantial financial differences between the competitions.
| Position | IPL 2024 | PSL 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | ₹20 crore ($2.42 million) | ₹4.13 crore |
| Runners-up | ₹12.5 crore ($1.43 million) | ₹1.65 crore |
| Third Place | ₹7 crore ($846,000) | Not disclosed |
| Fourth Place | ₹6.5 crore ($785,000) | Not disclosed |
The IPL’s winner prize exceeds the 2024 T20 World Cup champion earnings of approximately $1.52 million.
8. Most Expensive Player
- IPL Record Signing
Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history during the 2025 mega auction. Lucknow Super Giants acquired him for ₹27 crore, surpassing all previous records. This single player salary exceeds the entire team budgets in several other T20 leagues.
- PSL Salary Structure
The PSL operated with a draft system until 2025, capping its highest Platinum category at $300,000 per player. From 2026, the league adopted an auction model with a team salary cap of $1.6 million. This total budget remains lower than individual top-tier IPL player contracts.
9. Viewership And Media Rights
- IPL Viewership & Rights
The 2024 IPL attracted 620 million viewers on JioCinema, representing a 38% increase from 2023. Star Sports recorded 510 million television viewers for the first 51 matches. The IPL sold media rights for four seasons to Viacom18 and Star Sports for $6.4 billion, valuing each match at $13.4 million.
- PSL Viewership & Rights
The 2024 PSL generated approximately 150 million digital views, according to former PCB chairman Najam Sethi. A Sports and Walee Technologies acquired PSL media rights for $24 million for the upcoming seasons. The IPL vs PSL Comparison 2026 Popularity demonstrates a four-to-one viewership ratio favoring the IPL based on digital metrics.
10. 2025 Season Final Points Table of IPL and PSL
Final points table of IPL 2025
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PBKS (Q) | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | +0.372 |
| 2 | RCB (Q) | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | +0.301 |
| 3 | GT (Q) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | +0.254 |
| 4 | MI (Q) | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | +1.142 |
| 5 | DC (E) | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | +0.011 |
| 6 | SRH (E) | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 13 | -0.241 |
| 7 | LSG (E) | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 12 | -0.376 |
| 8 | KKR (E) | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 12 | -0.305 |
| 9 | RR (E) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.549 |
| 10 | CSK (E) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.647 |
Final points table of PSL 2025
| Pos | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quetta Gladiators | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | +1.393 |
| 2 | Islamabad United | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +0.372 |
| 3 | Karachi Kings | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +0.049 |
| 4 | Lahore Qalandars | 10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | +1.036 |
| 5 | Peshawar Zalmi | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.293 |
| 6 | Multan Sultans | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2.449 |
Conclusion:
The ipl vs psl comparison 2026 demonstrates measurable differences across key metrics despite both leagues contributing to T20 cricket development.
- Financial Strength
The IPL maintains substantially higher prize money, with winners receiving ₹20 crore compared to PSL’s ₹4.13 crore. Media rights valuations show a similar gap at $6.4 billion versus $24 million.
- Global Reach
Viewership data confirms the IPL’s broader audience, recording 620 million digital viewers against PSL’s 150 million. The eight-year head start and international player participation expanded the IPL’s commercial footprint.
- Player Earnings
Individual IPL contracts now exceed entire PSL team budgets. Rishabh Pant’s ₹27 crore salary surpasses the PSL’s $1.6 million team cap, highlighting structural economic differences between the competitions.
- League Impact
Both tournaments serve distinct roles in cricket’s ecosystem. The data confirms the ipl is a bigger league than psl in commercial terms, though the PSL’s adoption of auction mechanics and increased investment signals continued evolution in South Asian franchise cricket.
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