The clock is ticking for Australian cricket as the NZ20 saga heats up, with whispers that stars from the Big Bash League (BBL) could be drawn toward a privately run Twenty20 competition across the Tasman. Off the field, a fraught political clash in New Zealand over the summer has toppled former NZ Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink and fractured numerous relationships, all in the name of backing a privately owned league branded as the NZ20.
Recently, Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird and chief executive Todd Greenberg traveled to Auckland to brief the NZC board about the potential inclusion of a New Zealand team in the BBL as early as 2028. At the same time, the NZ20 group delivered its own presentation, signaling that private investors are ready to move quickly.
If the NZ20 launches with private funding in place for next season, it could offer lucrative contracts to overseas players, including Australians, well ahead of any plan to escalate player salaries in the BBL through stake sales and other financing moves.
NZ20’s chair, Don Mackinnon, has touted the possibility of a Queenstown franchise led by Brendon McCullum, with England captain Ben Stokes—born in Christchurch and a frequent visitor to family in New Zealand—also linked to leadership roles.
In the meantime, New Zealand advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup in India after a dominant opening stand by two BBL-connected players: Perth Scorchers’ Finn Allen, who struck a century off just 33 balls, and Melbourne Renegades’ Tim Seifert.
Weenink had led discussions between NZ Cricket and Cricket Australia about expanding the BBL to include at least one New Zealand side, while CA has been negotiating with state associations about private investment as well.
A coalition of cricket and business figures—among them former World Anti-Doping Agency chief David Howman, Wellington Cricket chair, Auckland Cricket chair Brendon Gibson, and NZ players’ boss Heath Mills—moved decisively, securing unanimous support from the six provincial associations to push NZ20, a six-team, privately owned league licensed by NZC in a model similar to the Caribbean Premier League.
Only after all provinces agreed did NZ20 approach NZC, which said it would weigh the consortium’s plans alongside other options, including possible BBL expansion.
An independent Deloitte report is due soon, but most expect NZ20 to be the leading option regardless of the report’s findings.
Cricket Australia officials have indicated to NZC that they’d welcome New Zealand into the BBL, but remain open to other expansion possibilities, including Singapore, if needed.
Mills and Weenink declined comment, and Cricket Australia was contacted for input.
While NZ20 would primarily showcase New Zealand talent, top Australian players are watching closely, particularly regarding potential top-tier salaries. The Australian Cricketers’ Association has pressed for higher pay, with prominent figures like Pat Cummins and Travis Head drawing significant overseas interest.
If NZ20 goes ahead, it would replace the Super Smash as New Zealand’s main T20 competition, a tournament that has struggled to stay relevant as leading players head to the BBL and other leagues during the southern hemisphere season. NZC has stated publicly that all options are on the table as it weighs the future of the competition.
In a formal letter to the International Cricket Council late last year, NZC sought to reassure Jay Shah that any new T20 league would not amount to a rebel competition. The letter, signed by NZC chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon, ICC representative Roger Twose, and the chairs of the six major associations, claimed there would be no hostile takeover and emphasized that players were not attempting to seize control of the game in New Zealand.
Weenink’s absence from that signing was notable; he had been placed on leave for much of the summer and left NZC at the end of January.
For now, provincial associations and the players remain committed to NZ20 as the sole endorsed structure.
There is concern among stakeholders that allowing a single BBL team could reduce New Zealand to a satellite role, similar to arrangements in the NRL, NBL, and A-League. Proponents argue that if New Zealand wants true independence within the BBL framework, Cricket Australia would need to back broader expansion—potentially up to four New Zealand teams—or alternatively, NZ20 could eventually serve as the eastern conference of a larger cross-border T20 league.
Conversely, critics point to New Zealand’s smaller population and broadcasting market, arguing a stand-alone league may struggle to sustain itself and would be better served by a closer alignment with the BBL, starting with one cross-border club and gradually adding more.
Notable former New Zealand stars, including current Australian team assistant coach Dan Vettori, ex-Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming, and England coach Brendon McCullum, have been cited as potential NZ20 advisors.
As Fleming noted during a New Zealand Open radio interview, time is of the essence: if privatising the T20 competition is deemed viable, the setup and launch must move swiftly. In his words, “the clock is obviously ticking on that.”
Would you support integrating New Zealand into the BBL, or do you think NZ20 should stand alone? And what compromises or safeguards would you require to feel confident in a three-way partnership across borders? Share your thoughts in the comments.
