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Cricket’s purists often hold a grudge against the shortest version of the game given its slam-bang nature is in stark contrast to the tradition, technique and temperament of the Gentleman’s Game. However, when you look at things beyond the cricketing field, the T20 version has helped elevate the lives of not just people, but the entire economy.
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Betway SA20 Commissioner and former South African captain Graeme Smith, 44, is a highly satisfied man as his league, which is on the verge of completing an extremely successful third season, has already announced the dates of the next three editions. But while the cricket between the six franchises has been quite competitive, Smith is particularly proud of the fact that the league has helped uplift the South African economy besides generating a lot of employment too. “We’ve brought SAR 4 billion [R20 billion] into the South African economy last year. This is enormous. Also, the league has created almost 10,000 jobs [eight-and-a-half thousand to be precise] thanks to its ecosystem,” Smith told a select media gathering on the sidelines of the Playoffs at SuperSport Park, Centurion, earlier this week.
“We wanted to be the biggest league outside of the IPL [Indian Premier League]. We wanted to revive the cricket fan and attract new fans to the game in South Africa and the reaction of the fans has been amazing. I don’t think I would’ve ever thought that I’d be in a stadium in PE [Port Elizabeth] that was all orange [filled with Sunrisers Eastern Cape fans]. These things have blown my mind. We also wanted to provide a platform for the best players in South Africa and around the world to come and play. And thankfully, every year the teams have been more competitive,” added Smith.
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