“We see ourselves as very different to ILT20. We are a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players,” he said at the captain’s day press conference in Cape Town. “We have prepared against ILT20, so it is very difficult for me not to give the impression that I am badmouthing them, but I feel that a league like that is not good for the game; having so many international players.” Players are required to form a team; there is no investment in local cricket. “That is a challenge for the global game and something that needs to be managed going forward.”
While the SA20 follows an IPL-style model that allows teams to field four internationals per XI, the ILT20 allows a maximum of nine internationals. The six SA20 teams are restricted to 19 players, must contain a minimum of 11 South African players and international places in the teams are limited to seven. They are also required to sign a rookie player, a South African under the age of 22 who has not previously been signed for the tournament. The ILT20 requires at least two players from the UAE to be included in the playing XI and four in the general squad, and for teams to sign two players from partner nations, who do not receive any special provision in the SA20.
For Smith, the goal of SA20 is to develop as much local talent as possible while giving international players the opportunity to compete hard. “We are a full member nation. Our priority is to create a global league, but one that benefits South African cricket. That is important to us,” he said. “What we have focused on is building the SA20 to the point where we are now recognized as one of the biggest leagues outside of the IPL. That is important to us, and that is the feedback we are getting. And what we we’ve seen from “A group of players is that this is where the players want to play because it’s competitive, there’s a good crowd, the standard of cricket is good and this is the place to come and challenge yourself.”
“We’re rolling out a lot of really interesting grassroots programs that will hopefully uncover incredible talent on both the girls’ and boys’ sides,” Smith said. “Our franchises are also starting to build academies and scouts and do things on the ground that will really benefit the ecosystem. We hope that in the next two or three years we will really see the impact of SA20 at a grassroots level. “
For Smith, public support for SA20 is one of the standout features that makes the competition “an established product now that it has been elevated to probably the biggest league outside of the IPL.” “I’ll never forget seeing how you know the fan bases and the colors of every team they support,” he said. “The response we get globally is that when people tune in, they see a happy South Africa in the summer with full stadiums and incredible cricket.”
