Big Bash: Schedule, format, players to watch & how to follow

Brisbane Heat are the reigning champions after beating Sydney Sixers in last year's final

As summer approaches in Australia, so does the return of one of the leading T20 domestic cricket tournaments: The Big Bash League.

The 14th edition of the competition begins on Sunday, 15 December and will take place over a six-week period.

Eight teams form the Australian domestic competition and it will feature some of Australia's and the world's biggest names.

England's current Test series in New Zealand will rule some players out of the first part of the tournament.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2024 BBL.

When is the Big Bash League?

The Big Bash League begins on Sunday, 15 December in Perth, with Perth Scorchers taking on Melbourne Stars.

The tournament runs until 27 January, with the group stage ending on 19 January.

There is then the Qualifier, Knockout and Challenger before the final.

There will be 44 games in total played across Australia, with the venue for the final yet to be decided.

Matches will be played every day from 15 December, except for 24 and 25 December for the Christmas festivities.

What is the format and schedule for the Big Bash League?

After a successful launch last year, the competition is following the shortened version after concerns that it was too long.

There will be 40 group-stage matches, with each team playing 10 games - three teams twice and four teams once.

Previously, the BBL featured a total of 56 games, followed by the knockouts.

In the group stage, each team gets two points for a win, one for a no result and zero for a defeat.

The top four teams will progress to the knockout stages, which works as follows:

21 January: Qualifier – first v second

22 January: Knockout – third v fourth

24 January: Challenger – loser of the Qualifier v winner of the Knockout

27 January: Final – winner of the Qualifier v winner of the Challenger

Who are the defending Big Bash League champions and what other teams are involved?

The tournament features city-based teams, with each state's capital city featuring at least one team. Sydney and Melbourne feature two.

The eight teams are: Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder.

Heat are the defending champions after beating Sixers by 54 runs last season, for their first success since 2013.

Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja will captain the side around his Test commitments against India, while former South Africa international Johan Botha has signed a three-year deal to be head coach.

Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has taken over at Strikers following Jason Gillespie's resignation.

Scorchers are the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won five titles, including consecutively in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Which England players are involved in the Big Bash League?

Ben Duckett will be among the England players looking to impress new white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum ahead of a tour of India and the Champions Trophy in the New Year

England players were in demand when the draft took place back in September, with 14 being picked by the eight teams.

England opener Ben Duckett, who played for Heat in the 2021-22 season, was the first pick for Stars. The 30-year-old, who made 92 in the second Test against New Zealand, will miss two BBL matches because of the third Test.

Joe Clarke will cover for Duckett, having played for Renegades last year.

Stars also pre-signed bowler Tom Curran, while Thunder did the same with wicketkeeper Sam Billings.

All-rounder Jacob Bethell, who has made his England debut in all three formats in the past five months, was picked by Renegades, along with Surrey top-order batter Laurie Evans, who was not retained by Scorchers.

Strikers were clearly keen for England players, signing Test vice-captain Ollie Pope and white-ball all-rounder Jamie Overton.

Sixers retained right-handed batter James Vince and also picked 22-year-old spinner Jafer Chohan, who was named in England's white-ball squad for the tour of the West Indies in November. He is playing in the tournament for the first time.

Hurricanes picked up T20 specialist Chris Jordan, while Sussex and Trent Rockets batter Tom Alsop joins Paul Walter at Brisbane Heat.

Scorchers have signed Lancashire batters Keaton Jennings and Matty Hurst.

What other players should I look out for?

Sean Abbott (right) is the leading wicket-taker in Big Bash history with 165

Although most teams prioritised English talent, there are plenty more overseas players to look out for.

After making a lasting impression for Heat last year at the top of the order, New Zealand batter Colin Munro has returned, while Scorchers signed his fellow Kiwi Finn Allen.

Pace bowler Lockie Ferguson was picked up by Thunder, while wicketkeeper Tim Seifert bagged a two-year deal with Renegades as they look to improve on finishing seventh last season.

Paine recruited West Indies spinner Fabian Allen for Strikers, as they look to go one step further this year, after a defeat in the Challenger in 2023-24. Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford were signed by Hurricanes, Sixers & Thunder respectively.

Many Pakistan players put themselves forward for the draft, but leg-spinner Usama Mir was the only one to be picked, as he returns to Stars after picking up five wickets in five games last season. Hassan Khan has signed as a replacement, but Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman are among those to miss out.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain was set to become the second Bangladesh player to feature in the BBL but he has opted to play in the Bangladesh Premier League instead.

Australia's Test players will only be able to feature in the latter stages of the regular season because of their five-Test series against India, which is set to finish on 7 January. That means there will be a 10-day window to play in the group stage.

Australia begin a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka from 29 January so players are unlikely to be available for the knockouts.

Khawaja is listed as Heat's captain, while Nathan Lyon is contracted to Renegades, Travis Head to Strikers and Mitchell Marsh to Scorchers. Nathan McSweeney's promotion to the Test side also leaves Heat without one of their top batters.

Pat Cummins has signed as a "supplementary" player at Thunder and Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at Sixers but all are "unlikely" to play, but will "support off-field activities".

White-ball regulars Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott and Adam Zampa should be available throughout.

How can I follow the Big Bash League on the BBC?

There will be ball-by-ball commentary, provided by ABC in Australia, on selected matches across BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app.

You can also keep up to date on the tournament and other franchise cricket leagues on the BBC Sport website and app. You can follow using the 'bell' icon on the app or the 'follow' button on desktop.

The tournament is available to watch live in the UK on Sky Sports.