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New Zealand Cricket Endorses NZ20 Franchise League as Preferred T20 Model

Written by MOS Editorial Team

Published on 23 March 2026

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has officially designated the proposed NZ20 franchise league as its preferred model for the future of domestic Twenty20 cricket.

The NZC Board made the in-principle decision following a comprehensive review of domestic structures, which included debating a potential expansion into Australia’s Big Bash League before ultimately opting to revitalise the local game through private investment.

Commenting on the proposition, NZC board chair, Diana Puketapu-Lyndon, said: “There was extensive discussion on the merits of these proposals, but the Board concluded that now’s the right time to revitalise our 21-year-old Super Smash competition.”

She further emphasised that while this is a significant step, the final commitment remains subject to negotiating “ownership and control” and ensuring the new league maintains a high level of “prominence and visibility” for the women’s game.

The transition to the NZ20 model is expected to introduce six privately-owned franchises, aiming to attract global capital and secure the participation of top-tier Black Caps and White Ferns stars.

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