Cricket South Africa "is planning to launch a new Twenty20 league" to be played in late '17, according to the BBC. The country's current T20 Challenge series "consists of six teams but the new T20 Global League would be made up of eight city-based franchises." CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat said, "We are confident the window we have chosen will make it possible to attract top-class players." A worldwide tender "has been put out by CSA and the deadline for expressions of interest" is March 3 (BBC, 2/4). ESPN.com's Firdose Moonda reported the competition will be similar to other major T20 tournaments around the world such as the Indian Premier League, Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League, "and will be South Africa's flagship event in the format." CSA is "seeking foreign ownership of the teams" and advertisements were placed in several int'l newspapers, including the front pages of some Indian dailies. CSA reportedly has "already received interest from several sponsors and will have the funds to lure big name internationals to compete." Tentatively, the tournament is set for November-December with a final penciled in for Dec. 16, a public holiday in South Africa. CSA President Chris Nenzani said, "Our vision is to drive the creation of a new #T20 destination league in South Africa that would energize the sport of cricket in South Africa by creating a global platform for the best-in-class to perform and showcase their talent to a global audience" (ESPN.com, 2/4).
