NEWS
Follow UsSouth Africa limited-overs captain Temba Bavuma believes that South Africa's latest franchise T20 competition will help the youngsters develop their skills and will also have the same impact on the players as the Indian Premier League (IPL) has had on the Indian cricketers.
The SA20 have many renowned figures like Stephen Fleming, Lance Klusener, Jos Buttler, Maheesh Theekshana, Faf du Plessis and Liam Livingstone who have signed up with many more coaches and players likely to join the list.
“I’m excited for the upcoming SA20,” Bavuma said, according to a media release from Cricket South Africa.
“It is going to be a massive opportunity for our local players to rub shoulders with the best T20 players around the world and to share knowledge with those players. The knock-on effects could also mean opportunities for players to be involved in IPL-owned teams and seeing more of our young talent within those IPL Leagues.
“For the young players, the SA20 will become a platform for them to develop their skills,’ he explained. “We can see what the IPL has done for Indian cricket and their young guys, they come in and play with confidence and no fear. We expect to see that in five to 10 years’ time in our local game. It’s an opportunity to make a name for ourselves in T20 cricket and show people what we (South Africa) can do.”
Many players will be up for grabs in the auction in Cape Town on September 19 where the six franchises will look to make the best use of their USD 2 million purses. “The auction will be massive,” Bavuma said.
“As players, we will get to know where we will be playing our cricket. I live in Joburg so it would be nice to play here at home, ha only kidding. I’m not ruling out any of the teams, I will play for any team. A young player could be bought for a big price so that could be life-changing too.”
Having recovered from the injury that has kept him out of the ongoing Test series against England, Bavuma hopes to be ready to lead the Proteas in yet another T20 World Cup.
“I’m quite happy with where I am from a recovery point of view,” he said.
“It has been a frustrating time, but I am where I am now. I am looking forward to getting out and being back. My T20 game has been forced to evolve.
“The modern game of cricket is moving at a rapid rate and T20 cricket has influenced other formats. Personally, like a lot of players, I have had to adjust my game to keep up with the times. It has been exciting, always having a challenge and adapting your game to meet that challenge. The SA20 will be another opportunity to challenge myself and to add more to my game which will make me more effective.”
