IPL is the leader in franchise cricket…we can only learn from them: Graeme Smith | Cricket News
SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith has lauded the IPL and said SA20 and other franchise leagues can only learn from the IPL. The former South African skipper also thanked IPL for their support.
“BCCI and IPL have been amazing in supporting us and guiding us in every decision we have made. IPL is the leader in franchise cricket far, and we can only learn from them,” he said to PTI.
“A lot of hard work went in the beginning to getting the structures right, to getting the business model right as well. It was about trying to attract the right type of partners. We were very fortunate at the time that some of the most experienced franchises in world cricket, the best, the most competitive, are the IPL franchises,” Smith said before the tournament.
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“They attract the best players. For me, one of the standouts is being in that first week of cricket and standing in each stadium behind inand seeing how the fans are dressed in the colours of the franchises and how much they’re behind their teams. And that’s been brilliant,” he added.
Smith also spoke about how happy he was to have Dinesh Karthik playing in the league. The veteran who is not a contracted Indian player and also has retired from IPL is playing for Paarl Royals in the tournament.
“We always said that we have worked with the BCCI to see what their views are for the future. South African cricket loves Indian cricketers. It is always a highlight for us to watch the talent of the Indian team whenever they come here to play,” said Smith.
“If the Indian players were available, we would love to have them here. But nothing of that sort is in the pipeline. We always have conversations and probably at the IPL time I will be there in India. We have a very good relationship with them.Story continues below this ad
“A lot of hard work went in the beginning to getting the structures right, to getting the business model right as well. It was about trying to attract the right type of partners. We were very fortunate at the time that some of the most experienced franchises in world cricket, the best, the most competitive, are the IPL franchises.
They attract the best players. For me, one of the standouts is being in that first week of cricket and standing in each stadium behind inand seeing how the fans are dressed in the colours of the franchises and how much they’re behind their teams. And that’s been brilliant.”
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