The 13th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) is on the heels of getting started. With a new franchise league germinating across different parts of the world with each passing day, the BBL has still been able to hold its own with it being into its 13th year. The fan response, the craze for local stars and just the general atmosphere in Australian states and stadiums regarding the tournament is extraordinary and that has kept the tournament and its spirit alive.
With the UAE's International League T20 and South Africa's SA20 eating up into its timeline, the BBL has been truncated to a 44-game tournament from its usual 61-game season to ensure availability of overseas stars, meaning the teams don't have the the luxury of affording a slow start.
With the Test series starting in a week, some of the international Australian stars including Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc will be available for their respective sides at the start of the tournament and at the end. The presence of local international stars, or the lack of it has been a major concern regarding BBL's quality and has gotten the most criticism in the last few years and hence the likes of Warner, Starc, Smith, Hazlewood and Labushcgane have actively participated with the white-ball stars being omnipresent.
Brisbane Heat open the tournament against the perennial underperformers Melbourne Stars at the Gabba and it will be a challenge for the Queensland outfit against a red-hot Glenn Maxwell and his Stars team which boasts of a quality local roaster but will be without Adam Zampa who made a move to the Renegades before the 13th edition.
When and where to watch the 13th edition of Big Bash League live on OTT for free in India?
The BBL 13 matches are set to begin at 1:45 PM IST on most days except the double-headers, especially when the games are in Perth, which will begin late. All the matches of the 13th edition of the Big Bash League will be live on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2 HD channels while the live streaming of the tournament will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. Mobile users can watch BBL 13 for free on Hotstar.
