As the South African Twenty20 league, or SA20, continues to gain momentum and popularity, cricketing heavyweights Graeme Smith, Dinesh Karthik, and Mark Boucher have shared their predictions for the league's future over the next decade.

Graeme Smith, currently serving as the League Commissioner of SA20, expressed cautious optimism about the league's trajectory. "I think 10 years is always tough to predict," he said at SA20 India Day. "But if we can follow a similar curve as the IPL, that would be amazing." Smith emphasized the importance of captivating audiences in a highly competitive entertainment landscape.

"There are so many options for fans in today's world," he noted. "We want to make sure that during our window, people are excited and tune in every year to see what SA20 is doing, just like they do with the IPL, Premier League, football, and others." Smith’s vision for SA20 is clear: to become one of the most established and popular leagues globally.

Dinesh Karthik, a prominent Indian cricketer and India Ambassador for SA20, envisions greater participation from Indian players in the league over the next decade. While acknowledging the current policy restrictions set by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Karthik expressed hope for a future where more Indian players will join the fray.

"In 10 years down the line, I can say that there is a policy in BCCI and everyone is adhering to that policy," he stated at SA20 India Day. "But I hope I'm the first number to come out and play this league because I can definitely share my experience post the league how it was on a personal front." Karthik highlighted the league's potential to not only enhance players' skills but also provide them with financial stability, two crucial factors for active cricketers.

"At the end of the day, all active players are looking for two things: A) How do I get better as a player? B) Financially, how is it viable?" he explained. "And on both fronts, I can confidently say that this segment is at a place which is definitely helping every player who is part of it." Mark Boucher, another SA20 ambassador and a respected figure in cricket, shares a similar optimistic outlook for the league's future. He draws parallels with the IPL's successful model, suggesting that SA20 could follow a similar path of expansion.

"I think to answer that as well, the template there and what the IPL has done," he said at SA20 India Day. "And you've got IPL owners involved in SA20 as well. So 10 years down the line, who used to say that there won't be another 4 or 5 teams? The template is there and it has certainly worked. So as long as SA20 carry on the same template, following the IPL, with the IPL owners, who's to know, I think it's going to be very successful."