India, Dec. 23 -- As SA20 prepares to enter a new season, its ambition is no longer limited to survival or spectacle. League commissioner Graeme Smith has made it clear that the focus is now on sustained growth, with SA20 pushing towards his vision of becoming the world's second-strongest T20 competition after the Indian Premier League (IPL). For Smith, that vision rests on three defining benchmarks: owning the international window, amplifying South Africa's cricketing identity, and converting that clarity into sustained viewership growth.

Earlier this month, legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis shed light on Smith's singular ambition for the league. "The idea is to get as close to the standard set by the IPL and make this the second-str...