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We want to build the biggest league outside India, says SA20 Commissioner Graeme Smith

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 In 15 years of its existence, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has emerged as the most prominent T20 league in the world. With T20 leagues proliferating around the world, all new entrants want to emulate IPL and become as successful in their region.

That is what upcoming South Africa’s domestic Twenty20 league aspires for — become the biggest league outside India.

With just over a month left for the start of the inaugural edition of SA20, commissioner Graeme Smith promised Indian fans an action-filled, world-class league.

“The goal of SA20 is to get South Africa cricket back to the place we all know it belongs – competing with India, competing with the likes of England and Australia and keeping the international game strong,” said SA20 Commissioner Graeme Smith at an event with Viacom18 Sports in Mumbai.

In November, Viacom18 and SA20 announced a partnership to exclusively broadcast and stream South Africa’s recently-launched premier T20 league in India.

Smith added, “We have that opportunity now through the partners we have been able to attract — the six teams, we are going to put sixty to eighty of South African players on the map and bring that fandom to India and the new heroes will come to the IPL and play for South Africa all around the world – that’s our goal. We want to build something vibrant and being able to build the biggest league outside India is something that we would really love to achieve.”

The six teams in SA20 — Durban’s Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape — are owned by IPL franchise owners. The popularity of South African players with Indian fans coupled with the pedigree of the team owners gives SA20 a robust platform to build one of the top international T20 leagues globally.

“SA20 is primed to become one of the most popular T20 leagues in the world,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj at an event celebrating the partnership. “At prime-time in India, the cricket-loving audience will watch South Africa’s most revered players along with global superstars and our presentation will match the energy and excitement that will come with it.”

The league features teams playing each other twice in a round-robin stage before the semis and final played over four weeks. MI Cape Town and neighbours Paarl Royals kickstart the tournament at Newlands on January 10. The opening game will be followed by Durban’s Super Giants hosting the Joburg Super Kings at Kingsmead on January 11

The SA20 will see international superstars like Quinton de Kock, Faf Du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Maheesh Theekshana, Jason Holder in action.

Entertainment

Bigg Boss fame Ajaz Khan polls fewer votes than even NOTA in Versova

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Ajaz Khan, the Bigg Boss fame actor-turned-politician, suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, where he polled just 155 from the Versova constituency. Remarkably, even the NOTA (None of the Above) option has outperformed him, securing 1,298 votes.

Fielded by Chandrashekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Ajaz Khan failed to translate his social media popularity – a staggering 5.6 million Instagram followers – into votes.

His political debut at the state level appears to have fallen flat, much like his earlier foray into the Lok Sabha elections. Khan had contested from the Mumbai North Central seat during the general elections but failed to make an impact there as well.

The Versova constituency, meanwhile, witnessed a fierce contest between Haroon Khan of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Bharati Lavekar of the BJP. Haroon Khan, however, won the seat with a margin of over 1,600 votes.

While Ajaz Khan has struggled to breach even the 150-vote mark, the Mahayuti alliance is surging towards a dominant victory across the state, projected to win over 221 seats. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, appears headed for a humiliating defeat.

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Maharashtra

‘This Is Landslide Victory. I Thank My Ladli Behnas And Kisans…’: CM Shinde On Mahayuti’s Massive Win In Maharashtra 

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In a statement to the media, Shinde said, “I thank the voters of Maharashtra. This is a landslide victory. I had said before that Mahayuti will get a thumping victory. I thank all sections of the society. I thank my ladali behnas and kisans. I also thank all the workers of the Mahayuti parties. “

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to hold the Maharashtra Legislative Party meeting on November 25 and the oath-taking ceremony on 26,

A larger meeting of the Yuti alliance is also likely to be held around the same time. 

This comes after the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra crossed the crucial majority mark, as per the Election Commission data around 11 am. It is securing a lead in 220 seats and is likely heading towards a landslide victory. Celebrations have already begun at the BJP’s Mumbai office.

Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said, “As we had expected, we have got very good numbers. I thank all the voters who stood behind Mahayuti and gave this landslide victory…”

Shiv Sena leader Naresh Mhaske said, “Maharashtra of government has expressed its faith in Mahayuti. The public is seeing what is happening to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena today. The people have stated that Eknath Shinde is the one who is capable of leading Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena…By way of their votes, the public has slapped a slipper on the face of Sanjay Raut. I am a Shiv Sena worker and I think that Eknath Shinde should be the chief minister…”

Early trends as per ECI

As per the initial results, the Mahayuti alliance is leading in 220 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in 128 seats, driving the charge in Maharashtra. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (SHS) follows closely with 55 seats. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, is leading in 35 seats, while the Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party (RSHYVSWBHM) is leading in 2 seats.

Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is trailing, with a lead in 51 seats. The Indian National Congress (INC), part of the MVA, is leading in 20 seats. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leading in 16 seats, and the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) is leading in 13 seats. The Samajwadi Party (SP) too is in the lead at 2 seats.

In addition, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Jan Surajya Shakti (JSS), and Peasants And Workers Party of India (PWPI) are all leading in 2 seats each.

Other minor parties, including Swatantra Bharat Paksha (STBP), Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (DISECL), CPI(M), Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi (BVA), and Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi (RSVA) are leading in 1 seat each. Additionally, 5 independent candidates (IND) are leading in their respective constituencies.

As the Sena-BJP-NCP celebrate all eyes will now be on who will assume the post of CM of the state.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Election Results 2024: UBT’s Sanjay Raut Cries Conspiracy, Says ‘This Can’t Be Decision Of People Of State’

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Maharashtra Election Results 2024: UBT's Sanjay Raut Cries Conspiracy, Says 'This Can't Be Decision Of People Of State'

The early trends as of 10:30 AM indicate a landslide victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti government in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has responded to the early trends showing Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) massive defeat in Maharashtra.

Speaking to the media amid ongoing counting, Raut said, ‘This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra. We know what the people of Maharashtra want.’

‘From what we are seeing, it seems that something is wrong. This was not the decision of the public. Everyone will understand what is wrong here. What did they (Mahayuti) do that they are getting more than 120 seats? How is it that MVA is not even getting 75 seats in Maharashtra?’ Raut said.

Rejecting the trends, Raut said that his party has faith in the people of Maharashtra. “They have done some ‘gadbad,’ they have stolen some of our seats…This cannot be the public’s decision. Even the public does not agree with these results. Once the results are out, we will talk more. In every election seat, money-counting machines were installed. Is it possible that Shinde gets 60 seats, Ajit Pawar gets 40 seats, and BJP gets 125 seats? The people of this state are not dishonest. We have faith in the people of Maharashtra,” he said.

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