Former South Africa wicket-keeper batsman Mark Boucher wants the SA20 to be as big a brand as the Indian Premier League.
During a virtual media interaction, Boucher stated that the Indian Premier League has boosted the careers of young players in India. Boucher further added that if SA20 moves to India in the future that will be very beneficial for the league.
Mark Boucher said (as quoted by PTI), “I think it’s a great idea; I’m not against it. The IPL happened in South Africa, and we can do the same, as both cricketing nations share a great relationship. Although the challenges of playing in India will be different, it will still be great. Maybe Graeme Smith (SA20 commissioner) can work on it.”
Mark Boucher draws similarities between SA20 and IPL
The first edition of the SA20 league was held last year and follows all the principles on which the Indian Premier League works. After IPL, SA20 became the second T20 league in the world whose selection of players is done through auction. SA20 also roped in a lot of big names from all around the world, including Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Kieron Pollard, and many more.
Further speaking in the conversation, Mark Boucher opined that the SA20 follows the principles of the Indian Premier League, and its first season was started on a trial basis. The same was the case with SA20 wherein its main objective was to give the youngsters a chance to express themselves.
Mark Boucher said, “The first edition was a success despite being a trial one; the crowd came in large numbers to watch high-quality cricket. The one thing we can learn from the IPL is how it has boosted the youngsters in India, and that’s exactly what we are trying to do here. It still might take a couple of seasons to put us on the map, but I am confident of it helping and boosting South African cricket, just like the IPL’s high-performance cricket.”
The SA20 can also be called the mini-Indian Premier League as all the six teams in the tournament which include the Joburg Super Kings, Durban Super Giants, Paarl Royals, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, MI Cape Town, and Pretoria Capitals. All these franchises belong to the owners of the Indian Premier League teams.
The SA20 has turned out to be one of the top leagues in the world and with the second season coming up of the tournament, it can turn out to be yet another blockbuster.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape led by Aiden Markram are the defending champions of the tournament and they will once again look to defend their title. On the other hand, teams such as MI Cape Town and Joburg Super Kings also have great potential to lift the trophy this time. Paarl Royals, Durban Super Giants, and Pretoria Capitals, also cannot be taken as lightly.
The second edition of the SA20 started on January 10, 2o24, and is certainly playing a vital role in bringing up young talent in South Africa.