CSK and Mumbai Indians are among the four IPL franchises who have shown interest to buy franchises in South Africa's T20 league.
Follow Us
IPL franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals — have shown interest to buy franchises in the new Cricket South Africa organised T20 league. The South African T20 league is slated to get underway from January 2023 with six privately owned franchises expected to take part in a group stage of 30 matches before heading into the playoffs much like the IPL itself.
READ MORE: Umran Malik: One-trick pony or genuine fast bowler?
It will be the third attempt made by Cricket South Africa to get a T20 franchise league going after their failed investments in the Global League T20 (GLT20) in 2017 and the now-defunct Mzansi Super League (MSL), which was played in 2018 and 2019. According to a document shared at a special meeting of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Members’ Council, CSA is aiming to create the “second best T20 league in the world” after the IPL. The document acknowledges that only the IPL has enjoyed “runaway success” and that there is a “clear gap” between India’s T20 league and the others, which leaves CSA with no choice but to focus on being second-best in the T20 tournament stakes, espn cricinfo said in its report.
Former IPL chief operating officer (COO) Sundar Raman has already acquired minority stakes in the competition. He owns 12.5% share of the yet-to-be-named tournament, with CSA maintaining the majority share (57.5%) and broadcaster SuperSport owning the remaining 30%, as per the official documents. The document claims the league will be “an economically viable project for CSA from day 1”, which makes it different to the other two attempts, the report said.
CSA will be looking to produce a successful tournament in its third attempt. The governing body of the league has estimated that the league will cost it USD 56 million over 10 years and will make a revenue of USD 30 million in the same period. There is, furthermore, also a commitment from SuperSport to pay USD 89 million, which will allow CSA and the franchises to make a profit – to be split 50-50 – in the first decade.
