"I have always maintained that our domestic cricket in South Africa had reached a plateau. With the introduction of a tournament that showcases 70 South Africans competing against top international talent, the game has been revitalized. These players are benefiting from working with experienced franchises, competing in front of large crowds under pressure, and being part of TV production that meets international standards," Smith stated, as reported by SA20.
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} } a.ctaFullCoverage { font-size: 16px; margin: auto; position: absolute; bottom: -22px; left: 0; right: 0; background: #00b1cd; width: 100%; max-width: 200px; color: white; padding: 12px 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; border-radius: 22px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0px 0px 16px 0px #00B1CD; text-decoration: none; } a.ctaFullCoverage span { position: relative; z-index: 2; margin-left: 24px; } a.ctaFullCoverage span::before { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; border: 1px solid #FFF; width: 10px; height: 10px; border-width: 2px 2px 0 0; z-index: 2; transform: rotate(45deg); } a.ctaFullCoverage span::after { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; height: 2px; width: 16px; background-color: #FFF; border-radius: 2px; } a.ctaFullCoverage::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: -17px; left: 50px; width: 24px; height: 74px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); transform: rotate(32deg); animation: shinerMooving 3s infinite; z-index: 1; filter: blur(1px); } @keyframes shinerMooving { 0% { left: -40px; } 100% { left: 150%; } } Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match 111 Total Runs 3284 Highest Score 128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match 115 Total Runs 3127 Highest Score 96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match 50 Total Runs 1326 Highest Score 104 runs Wickets 3 Best Bowling 2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match 65 Total Runs 29 Highest Score 10 runs Wickets 76 Best Bowling 5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match 260 Total Runs 37 Highest Score 8 runs Wickets 205 Best Bowling 5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match 107 Total Runs 3582 Highest Score 124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match 132 Total Runs 4683 Highest Score 132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match 104 Total Runs 83 Highest Score 17 runs Wickets 121 Best Bowling 4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match 35 Total Runs 195 Highest Score 27 runs Wickets 46 Best Bowling 3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match 12 Total Runs - Highest Score - Wickets 12 Best Bowling 3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match 93 Total Runs 109 Highest Score 14 runs Wickets 93 Best Bowling 4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match 41 Total Runs 105 Highest Score 29 runs Wickets 51 Best Bowling 4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match 21 Total Runs 653 Highest Score 89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match 105 Total Runs 2644 Highest Score 99 runs Wickets - Best Bowling - Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match 40 Total Runs 730 Highest Score 49 runs Check Full Coverage
The SA20 league has provided a platform for South African players to compete at a high level, exposing them to the pressures and standards of international cricket. Smith noted, "All this, you know, is putting a group of players that were never exposed to at a level where hopefully we start to see more and more talent competing like the IPL has done, competing to play for South Africa."
Smith also praised the overall performance of South African cricket, particularly in the white-ball format.
"South African cricket in general, particularly in the white ball stuff, has had a really successful, women and men period. If it wasn't for India, we would have had our first trophy," he remarked at SA20 India Day, acknowledging the tough competition from the Indian teams.
Looking ahead, Smith emphasized the importance of SA20 in strengthening South African cricket and maintaining its competitive edge on the global stage.
"For us, we want to be a real catalyst for the strength of South African cricket that keeps it strong and competing with the likes of India, Australia, and England," he concluded, as quoted by a release from SA20.
Smith's insights underscore the significant role of the SA20 league in fostering talent and elevating the standards of South African cricket, aiming to build a robust future for the sport in the country.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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