Former South African batsman Mark Boucher wants 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, it will be very beneficial for the league.
Marcos Boucher He said (quoted by PTI), “I think it’s a great idea; I’m not against it. The IPL took place in South Africa and we can do the same as both cricket 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 finds similarities between SA20 and IPL
The first edition of SA20 The league was held last year and follows all the principles on which the Indian Premier League operates. After the IPL, SA20 became the second T20 league in the world whose player selection is done through auction. SA20 also featured many big names from around the world including Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Kieron Pollard and many more.
In the conversation, Mark Boucher opined that the SA20 follows the principles of the Indian Premier League and that its first season began on a trial basis. The same thing happened with SA20 where its main objective was to give young people the opportunity to express themselves.
Mark Boucher said: “The first edition was a success despite being a trial; The crowd came in large numbers to watch high quality cricket. The only thing we can learn from the IPL is how it has boosted the youth in India, and that is exactly what we are trying to do here. “It may still take a couple of seasons to put us on the map, but I am confident that it will help and boost South African cricket, as well as the high performance cricket of the IPL.”
The SA20 can also be called the Indian mini-Premier League as the six teams in the tournament include 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 biggest leagues in the world and, with the second season of the tournament approaching, it can become another blockbuster.
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape, led by Aiden Markram, are the defending champions of the tournament and will once again look to defend their title. On the other hand, teams like 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 cannot be taken so lightly either.
The second edition of SA20 began on January 10, 2024 and is undoubtedly playing a vital role in nurturing young talent in South Africa.