New Zealand Cricket defends decision to launch domestic T20 competition after criticism

New Zealand Cricket has defended its decision to launch a domestic T20 competition after criticism from former players and officials. NZC chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon said the board considered four expert reports before choosing to create NZ20 instead of joining Australia's Big Bash League.

The Deloitte report favoured exploring the Big Bash option for financial and governance reasons but left the final decision to the board. Puketapu-Lyndon said the six Major Associations and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association both supported NZ20 over the Australian league.

The board voted unanimously to proceed with NZ20. The competition was originally planned for this summer but has been postponed until the 2027-28 season to allow more time for establishment and to accommodate the international schedule.