CSA drop a bombshell: the T20 Global League is postponed

Cricket South Africa’s much trumpeted T20 Global League will not see the light of day until November 2018.

The embattled local governing body held a teleconference on Tuesday with all relevant stakeholders to determine whether the tournament should commence or not.

Consensus was reached to delay the tournament.

“We have not come to this decision lightly,” said CSA Acting CEO, Thabang Moroe.

“Having discussed it with all our stakeholders including the franchise owners, we believe that the interest of the league should be our first priority. We have re-assessed our strategy and believe that postponing the first edition of the T20 Global League to next year will serve us well.”

The T20 GL has been hampered by various logistical challenges and it’s financial viability is still in doubt because no broadcasting deal has been signed.

Despite reports that SuperSport are close to signing on the dotted line, it’s understood the revenue from that will be significantly less than CSA budgeted for.

Earlier, ESPNCricinfo reported that one team owner had primed all on the possibility.

“When you know that something is not right then you should not do it. We are half-prepared and it will be a bigger disaster if we go this way,” the owner told the specialist cricket website.

It’s understood Haroon Lorgat, CSA’s former CEO who quits two weeks ago, was allegedly micromanaging the organisation of the tournament to such an extent that he’s actually left a void too big to fill.

Last week, acting chief Thabang Moroe admitted CSA will make a massive loss in excess of R340 million just to get the tournament going.

Both him and president Chris Nenzani gave the assurance then that the tournament will commence on November 3 and that the team owners are committed to their investments.