The American Premier League (APL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league based in the United States. The first league was scheduled to take place between 6 October and 24 October 2009, which was later postponed. The management revamped the brand in 2020 and went through the official launch during the spring of 2021. The teams were named after cricket spectators spread across the United States (Indians, Paks, Windies, Afghans, Aussies, Canadians, and Americans).

History

In 2009 APL announced an imminent three-year deal with minor league club the Staten Island Yankees who own the venue. The league had planned to play twice a year at baseball's Richmond County Bank Ballpark. Besides renowned staff and players, six teams were expected to take part in the first event: Premium Pakistan, Premium India, Premium Bengal, Premium West Indies, Premium World and Premium America, but the event did not materialise.

In 2009 the ICC announced support for the creation of a Twenty20 cricket competition in the US to compete against the APL, and in December 2010 the board of the United States of America Cricket Association that it had signed a $10 million deal with New Zealand Cricket and other investors as stakeholders, creating a new body called Cricket Holdings America to manage all commercial rights for cricket in USA, including Twenty20 rights, in perpetuity.

No American Premier League matches were played in 2010. In 2011 no further matches were announced and the venture appeared defunct.

Controversy

The American Premier League established contact with the USA Cricket Association, but had not submitted a formal approval. In 2009 the International Cricket Council (ICC) halt national players to participate until further release instructions and approval.

**American Premier League (APL)** er en amerikansk professionel cricketliga, der blev grundlagt i 2021. Ligaen består af otte hold fra hele USA og Canada og spiller en Twenty20-format. APL har til formål at fremme cricket i Nordamerika og give nordamerikanske spillere en platform til at konkurrere på højeste niveau.

**Holdene i APL er:**

* Atlanta Fire
* Chicago Stars
* Dallas Mavericks
* Los Angeles Lions
* New York Yankees
* San Francisco Giants
* Toronto Maple Leafs
* Vancouver Canucks

**Sæsonformatet:**

APL-sæsonen består af to faser: den regulære sæson og slutspillet. I den regulære sæson spiller hvert hold 14 kampe, syv hjemme og syv ude. De fire bedste hold i den regulære sæson går videre til slutspillet, som omfatter to semifinaler og en finale.

**Spillere:**

APL har tiltrukket nogle af de bedste cricketspillere fra hele verden, herunder Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Rashid Khan og David Warner. Ligaen giver også mulighed for unge nordamerikanske spillere til at vise deres talent og udvikle deres evner.

**Tilknytning til Major League Cricket:**

APL er en del af Major League Cricket (MLC), en kommende amerikansk professionel cricketliga, der er planlagt til at blive lanceret i 2023. MLC vil bestå af seks hold fra større amerikanske byer og vil være den øverste liga for cricket i Nordamerika. APL vil tjene som en udviklingspipeline for MLC og give spillere en chance for at tjene sig op til den højeste række.

**Indvirkning på cricket i Nordamerika:**

APL har haft en betydelig indvirkning på cricket i Nordamerika. Ligaen har øget interessen for sporten, tiltrukket nye spillere og skabt en vej for nordamerikanske spillere til at nå elitesniveau. APL har også hjulpet med at udvikle cricketinfrastruktur i hele USA og Canada og har gjort sporten mere tilgængelig for fans.