Wellington. The launch of New Zealand Cricket’s new men’s and women’s T20 league ‘NZ20’ has been postponed. Earlier this league was proposed to start in January 2027, but now it is likely to start in December 2027.
In a statement issued on Monday, the New Zealand Cricket Board said that positive talks are going on with all parties regarding the establishment of the league and the licensing process. However, the Board acknowledged that more time is needed to make the competition stronger and successful.
New Zealand Cricket Board President Diana Puketapu-Lindon said, “We want the future of domestic T20 cricket in New Zealand to be sustainable, competitive and in line with global cricket. Our conversations with NZ20 have been positive, but additional time is necessary to deliver long-term success for the league.”
He said that due to the already scheduled Test series against Australia and Sri Lanka in January and February 2027, the schedule is very busy, due to which sufficient time was not available for the league.
The New Zealand Cricket Board clarified that the Super Smash competition will continue in the 2026-27 season. Besides, the tours of India and Sri Lanka men’s teams and Bangladesh women’s team to New Zealand will also take place as per schedule.
NZ20 founding committee chairman Don MacKinnon said the priority was to make the league world-class rather than rushing to launch it.
“We want the NZ20 to start without compromise and be positioned for long-term success from day one. It is also important that the competition runs in sync with international cricket, not against it,” he said.
Mackinnon said investor interest from New Zealand and overseas was continuously increasing. For this reason, now a competitive process will be started for the selection of the major investment partner of the league and the owners of various franchises.
He also said that the additional time will help in finalizing the cities and regional identities of the franchises, so that the league can build a strong base across the country.
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