UAE businessman Ajay Sethi, who won the rights to own the Nelson Mandela Bay Stars team in the now altered T20 Global League, has said he continues to be a part of South Africa’s T20 league ambitions. This despite reports that previous owners will not be a part of a relaunched T20 league by Cricket South Africa.
The South African board had launched an ambitious plan for a T20 tournament last year with prominent team owners from across the globe, including three from the Indian Premier League and two from the Pakistan Super League. Sethi, the Channel 2 group chairman, was the owner of the team that was to be based in Port Elizabeth but the tournament didn’t take off due to commercial and broadcast issues.
This week, the South African board started afresh by launching a new T20 league in partnership with broadcaster SuperSport. However, there are reports that none of the original team owners will be a part of the new endeavour and that their original deposit of $250,000 has been returned.
Sethi, however, said he remains a committed team owner of South Africa’s T20 league.
“I am happy to hear that CSA has joined hands with SuperSport as we were waiting for the same media deal. Let us wait for the next step from CSA. We stay committed as Nelson Mandela Bay Stars team owner,” Sethi told Sport360.
When asked whether refunding their despot money means an end of the partnership between him and the South African board, Sethi said: “The refund was our bid money which was refundable anyhow. We will wait for CSA to reply. Only I can comment as they can’t take us out as team owners.”
