IPL franchise owners buy all 6 teams in South Africa's new T20 league

The Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and one of the owners of Delhi Capitals have bought all six franchises of South Africa's new domestic T20 league. In a press release, Cricket South Africa stated that the owners of the Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Rajasthan and Delhi franchises from the IPL now own the South Africa T20 teams from Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth), Johannesburg, Paarl and Pretoria respectively. The open bid process, managed by Deloitte Corporate Finance, attracted over 29 bidders interested in buying a franchise. Over 10 venues were made available for interested bidders to own a franchise, six of which were finally shortlisted.

Reliance have bought the franchise which will have their home in Newlands, Cape Town. RPSG have bought the franchise based out of Kingsmead in Durban.  The Sun TV Network's franchise will have their home in St George's Park, Gqeberha, while the Chennai Super Kings-owned team will play out of Wanderers in Johannesburg. Boland Park in Paarl will be home to the team bought by the Royals Sports Group and SuperSport Park in Pretoria will be the JSW Group's team. "We are thrilled to welcome our new franchise owners to the South African League taking place in January and February 2023. This is truly an exciting time for South African cricket; the overwhelming interest shows that the country remains valued in the global cricketing eco-system," the league's commissioner Greame Smith was quoted as saying.