The level of our cricket will improve further with the start of T20 league: Tom Latham!

New Zealand Test team captain Tom Latham has said that the proposed ‘New Zealand 20’ league can be effective in improving the level of cricket in the country. With this, the young cricketers of the country will have better opportunities to showcase their talent.

“The initiative of the ‘New Zealand20’ league is fantastic. I think we are the only Test playing nation where there is no franchise competition,” Latham said ahead of the start of the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington.

New Zealand Cricket will benefit if the league starts. The standard of cricket here is very good. With the start of league cricket, international players will come. This will further raise the level of our cricket.”

Latham said, “I hope to start the league soon. I want so. Through franchise cricket, players from all over the world have been able to mingle with each other. Even after saying goodbye to their brilliant international careers, players are still playing franchise cricket.

Learning from such people will be very beneficial not only for the people playing cricket for New Zealand but also for the young generation coming up in New Zealand.”

He said that I would like to see our own competition here where we can make good use of all our talents to promote cricket in New Zealand. I think this is a really good opportunity to do that.

After the huge success of league cricket across the world, the initiative to start T20 league in New Zealand has been taken. There are plans to launch a league for men in January 2027 and for women cricketers later this year.

Stephen Fleming, former captain and coach in many T20 leagues, has played an important role in bringing this initiative. This plan has not yet received the approval of New Zealand Cricket. If the ‘New Zealand20’ league starts, it will replace the Super Smash, the domestic T20 competition already running in the country.