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Manchester - The Mzansi Super League (MSL) has received the backing of one of the most important figures in South African T20 cricket, Imran Tahir.
The 40-year-old leg spinner, who will play his 107th and final ODI for the Proteas in Saturday's Cricket World Cup clash against Australia in Manchester, is fully committed to the 2019 edition of the tournament.
Tahir is unavailable for any domestic cricket with the Dolphins, but he still wants to represent the Proteas at next year's T20 World Cup in Australia and he believes the MSL is his ticket.
It will be the second edition of South Africa's T20 competition that is trying to lure in players and investment from all over the world and stake its claim as one of the more lucrative stops on the global T20 circuit.
It is not that simple, though.
The first edition in 2018 ended up being somewhat of a 'rush job', with Cricket South Africa (CSA) leaving the decision to go ahead with the tournament until something approaching the final hour.
It meant that there were difficulties in securing sponsors, players and, most importantly, there was no broadcast deal income.
In the end, CSA gave the product to the SABC and while that meant that the majority of South Africans had access to the tournament, it did not pay the bills.
Those are the challenges facing what they are calling MSL 2.0 in 2019, but in Tahir CSA has an ambassador that money would not be able to buy.
"I'm fully available for the MSL," he told media from the Proteas team hotel in Manchester.
"That's the first priority I have because I want to make sure that I send a message that I still want to play for South Africa. I want to fight for my T20 spot."
Tahir's endorsement of the MSL goes beyond his own ambitions, though. He believes it is a vehicle to help unearth and keep young talent in South Africa,
It's a big thing for South Africa," he said.
"I have an offer to go somewhere else, but I made sure with CSA that I wanted to play MSL because I want to give the message that I am loyal to our brand, which South Africa created.
"It's for the youngsters, which they never had before, and I think that's why we keep losing players.
"It's such a big thing for South Africa. Last year we all really enjoyed it and I think me playing in that league sends the right message to youngsters."
The tournament is expected to start in early November and run through until December 16.
