SA20 aims to be the biggest T20 league outside IPL, No 1 sporting brand in South Africa: Graeme Smith

The SA20 has entered its second season and league commissioner Graeme Smith feels it has the potential to be the biggest T20 league in the world after the Indian Premier League.

The inaugural edition of the league, which was won by Sunrisers Eastern Cape, turned out to be a roaring financial success for Cricket South Africa (CSA) with matches being played in front of sold out venues across the country and Smith feels SA20 will only grow in the coming years.

“As Commissioner, I’ve been involved right from the infancy and can tell you that a lot of work has gone into formulating the platform and the teams are looking extremely strong across the board.

“We have huge ambitions to be the biggest cricket league outside of India and the No. 1 sporting entertainment brand in South Africa. We’ve got some incredible stadiums, a strong cricketing culture and a vibrant fanbase having a great time in the stands during the South African summer,” Smith wrote in his blog for Betway, the title sponsor for the league.

Smith also commented on the second edition of the league clashing with the Proteas’ tour of New Zealand, where they will be fielding a second-string side led by uncapped Neil Brand. While the former South Africa captain felt that while the current situation “isn’t ideal”, he expressed confidence in the board’s ability to manage the international calendar better in the coming years and avoid such a scenario.

Smith also emphasised on the fact that the T20 format “is the future” and that CSA is fully committed towards its growth.

“The clash with South Africa’s tour of New Zealand isn’t ideal, but scheduling is a challenge for everyone in the game and I expect that every year we’ll get better at it.

“Test cricket is a format that we all love. I played 116 Tests myself, so I want to see it protected. I’m part of the MCC Committee and, after our previous meeting at Lord’s, we came out and said we believed the ICC needs to create a fund to protect it for the six or seven nations that play it.

“However, T20 cricket is the future. It’s a format that has huge potential to grow into new markets. Look at the strength of the IPL, moving into the US with Major League Cricket and its inclusion in the LA Olympics in 2028,” Smith added in his column.

The second edition of SA20 got underway on 10 January with defending champions Sunrisers taking on Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha. The tournament is set to run for exactly a month till 10 February, with 34 matches set to take place across six venues.