Cricket in South Africa needs a marquee women’s franchise T20 tournament as soon as it can be done.
When the BCCI launched the Indian Premier League, many scoffed at the notion, but it has now become a central part of the global cricket calender and launched the careers of countless stars for not just India but several other nations to boot.
Now the BCCI has tentatively waded into the world of women’s franchise T20 cricket.
The well-attended T20 women’s world cup proves that South African audiences will turn out to see women’s cricket in the format.
This time around South Africa should not wait and see what happens but rather should come out swinging to join the WPL and the already well-established Women’s Big Bash in this arena.
There would need to be significant investment but that is precisely why South Africa needs to move right now after a great World Cup.
South African players litter the WPL and WBBL as well as the women’s Hundred tournament and a franchise tournament that allows for a large number of foreign professionals could showcase both established and new stars in ideal conditions.
The WPL’s inception felt overdue but improved performances from the India women’s team eventually swayed the BCCI.
South Africa can make a quantum leap in the professionalism of women’s cricket with such a tournament.
The success of the SA20 will give CSA a potential roadmap to success and they should pair the tournaments in branding identity and possibly also their ownership.
This particular market is yet to be thoroughly saturated and could be the big push the Proteas need to continue competing with the big three (India, England and mostly Australia) and New Zealand in the women’s game.
A new T20 event for women would likely to welcomed by top players from around the world as it would offer players the opportunity to get more time on the pitch as well as crucially earning a tidy payday.
South Africa has shown that it is a great venue for a T20 cricket event and this needs to be capitalised on right away.
