IPL franchises bag all 6 teams in South Africa’s latest T20 League

IPL franchises bag all 6 teams in South Africa’s latest T20 League: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners have now successfully stepped into South Africa’s new T20 league after buying all the six inducted franchises. Reliance Industries Limited, Sun TV Network, CSK, Royals Sports Group, RPSG and JSW Sports, owners of the IPL teams, have been confirmed as the successful bidders of the new T20 league in South Africa.

In a press release, Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed the same. Teams from Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth), Johannesburg, Paarl and Pretoria are now under the management of Mumbai Indians, Lucknow SuperGiants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals respectively.

The latest T20 Franchise game attracted 29 bidders in the bidding organised by Deloitte Corporate Finance. Cricket South Africa made available 10 venues for the successful bidders to set up their base camp, six of which were finally shortlisted.

Indian Franchises stepping into the overseas cricket leagues is a step toward growing their global brand image. Earlier, a couple of IPL franchise owners successfully bid for the franchises in UAE T20 League. Moreover, the IPL owners have their teams in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as well. 

Notably, this is the third attempt by CSA to successfully run a sustainable T20 cricket league. Earlier, the cricket board failed to run Global League T20 in 2017 and the Mzansi Super League after the broadcasting rights of the latter league remained unsold for three years. 

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The upcoming T20 league is kept as a ‘top priority’ by Cricket South Africa in order to make this attempt a successful one. One of the most aggressive moves taken by CSA toward the success of the T20 league is by forfeiting the three-match ODI series against Australia thereby risking SA’s direct qualification in the ODI World Cup 2023.

Cricket South Africa chief, Graeme Smith, who will soon step in as the commissioner of the new T20 league, echoed the excitement for the beginning of the new T20 league in South Africa.

“I’m extremely honoured to be entrusted with leading this exciting new venture,” Smith said. “I’m deeply committed to South African cricket and happy to serve the game as best I can. I’m excited by the opportunity to deliver the new league, which I believe will be an extremely competitive product, one that can bring the much-needed investment into the game and provide new opportunities for players around the world and more importantly to our SA home grown talent.

“The response from stakeholders has been very positive thus far and we’ve made great progress in the initial stages. We’re determined to deliver a valuable, sustainable and appealing tournament for South African cricket.”

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