Graeme Smith with captains of SA20 in Cape Town. (SA20)
SA20 (Franchise League in South Africa) commissioner Graeme Smith would say that the ILT20 (Franchise League in UAE) is not good for the game. “There’s no investment back into local cricket. That is a challenge for the world game and something that needs to be managed going forward,” Smith reasoned on why the UAE-based League is not good for the game.
Smith speaking at the captain’s day press conference in Cape Town said, “We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We’re a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players. We’ve been built up against ILT20, so it’s very difficult for me to not come across like I’m bad-mouthing them, but I do feel like a league like that is not good for the game.”
Unlike SA20 which follows the Indian Premier League model where a team can fill four overseas players in the playing XI in ILT20, a team can play with nine foreigners in their playing XI. Additionally, SA20 has a limit of 19 players per franchise with a minimum of 11 South Africans. However, in ILT20 two local players are the minimum requirement for a team.
“We’re a Full Member nation. Our priority is to put on a global league but to benefit South African cricket. That’s important for us,” Smith said. What we have focused on is building the SA20 to the point where we are now being recognised as one of the biggest leagues outside the IPL. That’s important for us, and that’s the feedback we’re getting. And what we’ve seen from a player group is that this is where players want to play because it’s competitive, there’s good crowds, the standard of cricket is good, and this is the place to come and challenge yourself,” the 43-year-old added.
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