New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham believes the NZ20 - the country's first proposed T20 franchise tournament - is a "great initiative" and will be "hugely beneficial" for cricket in the nation. Even though the NZ20 idea is yet to get approval from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), plans are underway to launch the six-team competition for men in January 2027 and for women later in the same year. Once underway, it will replace the Super Smash, New Zealand's domestic T20 competition.
"I think you look at the NZ20 possibility, I think that's a great initiative," Latham said in Wellington a day before the second Test against West Indies. "When you look at the way that cricket's moving around the world - I think we're the only Test-playing nation that doesn't have a franchise competition. But what it will bring to the country, to cricket here in New Zealand will be hugely beneficial, having international players to boost the standard of cricket. I think we've got a great standard of cricket here and I think the Super Smash has produced great cricketers for us up to this point. But I think being able to push the game forward here in New Zealand will only do great things for the cricket here."
The proposed tournament originated from former New Zealand players such as Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA] to check the feasibility of a franchise-based competition in New Zealand. The tournament model is set to be based on that of the CPL in the Caribbean and is looking to get private investment as one of the sources of funding.
When asked if Latham was hopeful of the tournament getting off the ground, he said: "Certainly hopeful. I would love to see it happen and I'm sure you talk to a lot of the players that will be in the same camp. A lot of the guys have played franchise cricket around the world these days and been able to mix with overseas players that have had great international careers that don't play international cricket now but still play in franchise cricket…To learn off the likes of those sort of guys will be hugely beneficial not only to the guys that play cricket for New Zealand but also to the younger generation coming through here in New Zealand.
"You talk to a lot of guys that play franchise cricket around the world, they have a lot of fun, they learn a lot from different players and in different conditions. So as I said earlier it's a great initiative and hopefully one that can get off the ground."
Latham himself has not featured in any T20 franchise tournament around the world but did play for Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast in the English summer this year, which was the off season for New Zealand. In his last game there, he smashed a 51-ball 104 against Derbyshire. However, it is during the New Zealand summer that a lot of top players from New Zealand choose to play T20 franchise cricket - such as the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 - over the Super Smash back home.
"I would much rather see have our own competition here where we're using all of our talent as best we can to boost cricket here in New Zealand," Latham said. "And I think that's a really good opportunity to do that."
The ILT20 and SA20 - both into their fourth season - already face a calendar clash with the BBL. The ILT20 started early this time to be played from December 2 to January 4, while the SA20 will run from December 26 to January 25 and they both will overlap with the BBL from December 14 to January 25.