The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a domestic cricket league in India. Since its inception in 2007, it has grown to become the largest cricket league in the world, attracting sponsorship that exceeds that of most national teams.
Traditionally, cricket competition has been dominated by international events and national teams touring other countries, and has involved games lasting either five days or one day. The IPL popularized large-scale domestic cricket leagues, and is played in a shorter, three-hour format of cricket called Twenty20 (T20). Teams are allowed up to 4 international (non-Indian) players in their teams. Additionally, the IPL usually lasts 3-4 months, taking up a significant portion of the annual cricket calendar.