Wikipedia - SA20
SA20, known as the Betway SA20 for sponsorship reasons, is a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in South Africa, organised by Cricket South Africa (CSA) and first contested during the 2022–23 season. It is contested by six teams based in cities around the country. The first winners of the tournament were Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
History
Cricket South Africa established the franchise T20 Global League in 2017. The inaugural season was deferred by a year due to the lack of a broadcast deal and title sponsor and in June 2018 was replaced by the Mzansi Super League, a league featuring six CSA-owned teams. Both the leagues became unsuccessful. The MSL ran for only two seasons, the 2020 and 2021 editions being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SA20 was established by CSA in 2022 through a newly formed entity, Africa Cricket Development (Pty) Limited (ACD). CSA is the majority stakeholder in ACD with a 50% share, while broadcaster SuperSport has a 30% share and former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chief Operating Officer Sundar Raman, the remaining 20%. All six of the teams were bought by franchises from the IPL. In July 2022, CSA announced that the One Day International series against Australia due to be played in January 2023 would be cancelled in order for SA20 to go ahead.
In August 2022, Graeme Smith was announced as the commissioner for the tournament. Later in the month, the marquee players for the first season were announced.
In December 2023 Cricket South Africa announced that it would send a makeshift Test team, comprising players with little or no Test cricket experience, to its scheduled two-Test tour of New Zealand in February 2024, to allow its best players to remain in South Africa to compete in the SA20. The decision was widely criticised.
As equipes participantes representam diferentes regiões da África do Sul, competindo entre si em uma série de jogos intensos. Os jogadores exibem suas habilidades técnicas e estratégias táticas para garantir a vitória de suas equipes.
O torneio SA20 é conhecido por sua atmosfera vibrante e entusiasmada, com torcedores apaixonados enchendo os estádios para apoiar suas equipes favoritas. Os jogos são realizados em diversos locais em todo o país, proporcionando uma oportunidade para os fãs de críquete de diferentes regiões se envolverem com o esporte.
Além de ser uma competição emocionante, o torneio SA20 também serve como uma plataforma para identificar e desenvolver jovens talentos do críquete sul-africano. Muitos jogadores que se destacam no torneio têm a chance de serem selecionados para a equipe nacional, representando a África do Sul em competições internacionais.
O torneio SA20 é um evento imperdível para os fãs de críquete na África do Sul, oferecendo uma oportunidade única de testemunhar o talento e a paixão dos jogadores sul-africanos em ação. Com jogos emocionantes, atmosfera animada e a promessa de descobrir novos talentos, o torneio SA20 é um destaque no calendário esportivo do país.