Black Caps white ball captain Mitch Santner. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Two of the biggest names in the Black Caps have backed a proposed T20 franchise competition in New Zealand.
RNZ understands a bid by a private consortium to establish a new T20 competition has led to a power struggle over the future shape of the domestic game.
New Zealand Cricket this week played down any internal rifts over the proposed new league but it's clear where the players stand.
Black Caps white ball captain Mitch Santner told The Cricketers' Network podcast it would be a great opportunity.
"We've seen it kind of work around the world already...we're the kind of the last country," Santner said.
"It's a really exciting opportunity especially domestic players …you still have Ford Trophy, Plunket Shield, and then you've got a franchise league where, you know, you can show your skills against some of the best - obviously our domestic players and you get some good overseas and a lot of people watching.
"I think it's a great opportunity if we can kind of get it going and it sounds very promising so hopefully we can get it all go ahead."
Santner believed it would push the quality of the players coming through.
"[In the] IPL for example, you know, you see all these young guns coming through that you've never heard of and they stand up on that stage and then they, you know, they're ready for international cricket."
One of New Zealand's most explosive batters Daryl Mitchell told The Cricketers' Network podcast, that it needed to happen.
"We as a playing group are really excited about the opportunity of NZ20. We think the growth that it will bring here in the game in this country would be amazing," Mitchell said.
"To think that we are probably the only major test playing nation that doesn't have a franchise tournament is something that needs to happen. It needs to I guess continue to help grow the game not only for us international players but for domestic players and for the next generation of Kiwis that want to play cricket.
"...[It's] only going to help make not only our own domestic players better but our New Zealand team as well. So I think it's a great concept and I'm really looking forward to see it happening."
Daryl Mitchell. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz
While cynics might argue New Zealand doesn't have the population base to make a franchise competition work, Mitchell believed world class players would sell out grounds.
"You only need to see how much Kiwis love sport and love cricket in New Zealand. I think you know if you can have city against city taking on each other and you watch the Kiwis get behind NZ20, it's going to be a short four-week tournament over January. I just think it's a great concept that's going to help improve infrastructures around the country as well."
Mitchell said the proposed competition would be great for up and coming players.
"When I was starting out... HRV Cup is what it was called then, we'd get overseas players and the likes of Chris Jordan and Ben Laughlin and those guys when I was 19/18. The knowledge that they passed on to me was invaluable... it's something that with franchise cricket and NZ20 you learn so much.
"Imagine a Phil Salt or someone like that coming into our environment and helping teach the next lot of opening batters I think it can only help in that sense as well so yeah it should be pretty cool."
NZ Cricket said the organisation was "considering the merits of the NZ20 proposal", along with other options, as part of broader work looking at the future of domestic T20 cricket in New Zealand.
Among the options being considered as part of 'Project Bigger Smash' is exploring ways to monetise the existing Super Smash competition, or entering New Zealand teams in Australia's men's and women's Big Bash competitions.
The independent assessment was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
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