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The SA20 League has emerged as one of the biggest domestic T20 tournaments in the world and former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has shared a very strong reason behind it. Steyn said the relationship between SA20 and the IPL has played a huge role in bringing fans back to the stadiums and generating new enthusiasm for cricket in South Africa.
The legendary fast bowler has said that South Africa was in dire need of something like SA20 during the difficult times following the Covid pandemic. He said the launch of the SA20 changed everything at a time when games were lagging and interest among Proteas fans was waning.
Dale Steyn reveals the biggest secret behind SA20’s massive success
Now, the excitement surrounding the SA20 tournament continues to grow, and fans have accepted the league with great enthusiasm. Dale Steyn believes that the strong association with the IPL has helped SA20 become successful in a short period of time.
All SA20 franchises are owned by IPL teams, who bring experience, better planning and global attention to the tournament. Another important factor is the regular participation of South African players in the IPL.
Their performances in India have increased their popularity, and fans are excited to see the same stars playing in their home country in the SA20, making it one of the most talked-about T20 tournaments in the world.
Dale Steyn said during a select media interaction organized by SA20: “South Africa’s relationship with India has been phenomenal. With the start of SA20 and having Indian owners for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, MI Cape Town etc, the relationship is really good.”
Smart scheduling has become one of the biggest features of SA20
The former South African fast bowler also believes that the biggest strength of SA20 is its smart planning and perfect schedule. He said Cricket South African (CSA) has ensured that its calendar does not clash with the IPL, allowing the top white-ball stars to be fully available for the entire tournament.
Steyn, who recently made a big prediction for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, believes this gives complete clarity to the franchise before the season begins. SA20 teams do not have to worry about players leaving mid-competition due to international matches or workload management.
Steyn also shared his views on the idea of hosting SA20 matches in India, similar to the plan for the Big Bash League (BBL). There have been reports that one BBL match next season will be played in Chennai in a bid to attract new fans to the Australian T20 league.
Dale Steyn strongly opposes the idea of moving SA20 matches to India
However, Dale Steyn is completely against the idea, as the biggest success of the SA20 is the amazing support of the South African fans who fill the stadiums every season. The former fast bowler has stressed that there would be no point in taking away even a single match from him, especially when Indian fans already have the IPL, the world’s biggest T20 league, to watch.
Dale Steyn feels that SA20 has finally found its identity in South Africa and should continue to grow where it has built such a strong relationship with local supporters. Steyn believes that moving games to another country could weaken the bond rather than strengthen the tournament and the SA20 does not need such experiments at the moment.
Video | Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn says Indian ownership of the SA20 franchise and the strong cricketing ties between India and South Africa have significantly contributed to the success of the league.
He says, “South Africa’s relations with India… pic.twitter.com/8UPgCCxvY2
– Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2026
He signed off by saying, “It would seem harsh of me to take away a game from the South Africans. But perhaps the Big Bash is suffering a slow death, and they are trying to rejuvenate their competition by getting some support from India.”
“I think the players will enjoy it – traveling to India and playing in Chennai. I don’t think it will be a substitute for SA20. I think it’s doing really well in South Africa. And there’s a saying, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”