Exclusive: New T20 Africa Cup featuring South Africa and Zimbabwe in the works
A T20 cricket tournament for African nations is in the works, with a planned tri-series this year involving continental powers South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia set to launch the concept.
Cricket Financial Journal understands the proposal was part of discussions at the recent ICC Africa Regional Conference in Namibia. The vision is for a six-team ‘Africa Cup’ tournament involving the continent’s three best nations - Full Members South Africa and Zimbabwe along with Namibia, who are currently ranked 15th on the T20I rankings.
A qualifier would then determine the other three teams for an event hoped to eventually be held biennially. There had been talk of up to 10 teams competing, but six is likely to be deemed the ideal number. The first edition of an expanded Africa Cup is unlikely to be held this year.
Instead, a tri-series between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia - the trio of countries who will host next year’s ODI World Cup - is hoped to be something of a soft launch. It is likely to be staged in August in Namibia, with the tri-series hoped to become an annual tournament.
The participation of Full Members Zimbabwe and, especially, South Africa, is seen as integral for the financial viability of an Africa Cup.
African powerbrokers have long tried to find ways to commercialise the sport with the focus centered on creating a marquee continental T20 event featuring South Africa and Zimbabwe.
There was a T20 Africa Cup played from 2022-24, but only involved Associate members before being paused due to sponsorship and financial challenges. African chiefs have looked on enviously at the money-spinning Asia Cup, a biennial tournament interchanging between the white-ball formats and underpinned by the highly lucrative contest between India and Pakistan.
Associate nations such as Oman and UAE have greatly benefited from playing in the Asia Cup and competing against Full Members on the big stage.
Other continents are trying to replicate the model with a tournament for European nations mooted albeit the England and Wales Cricket Board are reportedly reticent.
The focus in Africa is on establishing its own continental tournament after plans for a revival of the Afro-Asia Cup have stalled. As I first reported in 2022, there had been a push to reboot the cross-continental concept that was first played in 2005 and 2007 and saw Pakistan and India players teaming up for an Asian XI against an African XI.
But given cricket’s increasingly cramped calendar, especially for powerhouse India, finding space has proven difficult.
There is hope that a one-off match can at least be staged in the next few years. But it does appear unlikely, at least any time soon, given the tensions between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
It is hard to imagine players from those countries teaming up, but African chiefs are still keeping the proposal up their sleeve.
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