CSA new T20 league called 'SA 20' will be played in January next year

CSA's new franchise-based T20 league will be called as "SA20", Graeme Smith, who is the commissioner of the tournament made the announcement in a press conference on Wednesday. He also confirmed that the player auction for the inaugural season, to be played in January-February 2023, will be held on September 19.

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The League will have six franchises, who are all owned by groups that own teams in the Indian T20 League, they have already signed between two and five players apiece from the group of icon players as part of the direct-acquisition process. The franchises have an overall purse of US$2 million and can buy as many more players as and when they wish to, with the maximum squad strength capped at 17.

The franchises will be allowed to sign up to seven overseas players and ten South Africans, with a view to fielding an XI with a maximum of four overseas and seven South Africans,which happens in the Indian T20 League as well.

"It's going to bring financial support that hopefully will benefit all forms of the game in South Africa and keep us relevant in the international game. We don't see it as an issue for Test cricket. We see it as an issue of growing South African cricket and keeping it strong" Graeme Smith said.

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"We've been able to attract some big international names to our league. You can see in the pre-signing with Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone and the like. We've got some real quality but the difference for us is that we focus on South African talent as well," Smith said. "There will be 60 or 70 SA players on a global platform with their storylines. We've seen how that's benefitted Indian cricket in the IPL and it's gone to benefit their all-format cricket. We are hoping we will be able to create the same in South Africa."

The SA20 will be played during summer in South Africa which will take place in the months of January and February.