“We have a cricket culture that produces talent,” says Robin Peterson
Cricket South Africa’s main T20 league will begin on January 10 of next year, with six teams competing: MI Cape Town, Durban Super Giants, Johannesburg Super Kings, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and SunRisers Eastern Cape. The owners of all 6 clubs have squads in the Indian Premier League, which is being billed as the next big thing in T20 cricket. With the competition barely 90 days away, former South African spinner Robin Peterson, who is currently the general manager of MI Cape Town, spoke to reporters about what to anticipate.
“I believe there is a lot of buzz about the new league. That is on everyone’s lips, and I can see the boys are working hard to enhance their skills. That is why this league will be so beneficial to South Africa. Domestic players, I believe, must improve their performance, and there is a fair incentive for doing so. I believe that everyone is thrilled, not just the athletes. People are looking forward to when the celebration arrives to town. I believe people have been deprived of cricket,” according to Peterson.
Here is your first-ever #MICapeTown squad for the upcoming #SA20 season 💙
The #OneFamily is ready to rock 👊😎#OneFamily #MICapeTown #SA20Auction @SA20_League pic.twitter.com/FY2RkFXy5r
— MI Cape Town (@MICapeTown) September 19, 2022
“This is, I believe, the first year that supporters have been permitted to enter stadiums. It appears that the time is nearly ideal. We anticipate a good tournament. Cricket South Africa needs something to give the game a boost in the country, so it’s absolutely something we’re looking forward to,” he remarked.
“I believe we should begin by discussing the success of the Mumbai Indians, who are likely one of the largest cricket franchises in the world. They have an excellent relationship with Cape Town. In terms of the sport, I believe Cape Town has a sizable fan base. I anticipate that people will rally around the squad. The Mumbai Indians are undoubtedly interested in assisting the Cape Town cricket community. I believe that as a result of my involvement with MI Cape Town, I have played with them. Even when I wasn’t playing, I kept in touch with them. I believe it is a wonderful partnership,” Peterson stated.
“MI have a history of playing aggressive cricket, which speaks much about Cape Town cricket. Hopefully, that bond will blossom and we will be able to achieve something spectacular. Everyone, in my opinion, is competitive. The beauty of this event is that every team has a match-winner. I don’t believe you can choose a favourite. Everyone has match-winners on paper. I wouldn’t claim that we are the best squad on paper. We chose a balanced roster that reflects the style of play that MI has embraced,” he said.
Peterson went on to say regarding the SA20 competition: “If you look at our playing base, I believe it is second to none. It goes without saying that we have a cricket culture that produces talent. We have the infrastructure and know how to organise events in this nation. We are unquestionably in a strong position to be the world’s second-best T20 tournament. The timing is ideal, and I believe South Africa is in a strong position to become the second-best league after the IPL.”
