News Broadcasting
Viacom18 and SA20 announce strategic 10-year partnership
Mumbai: Viacom18 Sports, India’s newest sports network, on Wednesday announced a 10-year partnership to exclusively present SA20, South Africa’s recently launched premier T20 league, in India.
The addition of SA20 strengthens Viacom18’s portfolio of world-class sporting events, including the Indian Premier League, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, NBA, Diamond League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and top ATP and BWF events.
Viacom18 is reshaping sports fans’ experiences and building one of the most-loved media platforms in India. The SA20 and Viacom18 will work closely to grow and engage cricket fans in India. South Africa’s strong cricket roots, domestic set-up, and popularity of its players with Indian fans will enable SA20 to stand out among other international T20 leagues. South Africa and India have a long and storied cricket relationship that this partnership will further strengthen while bringing high-quality T20 action to Indian fans.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) is leaving no stone unturned to deliver a massively entertaining and competitive show by encouraging all their marquee players to be available for the SA20 tournament.
The inaugural SA20 auction in September saw over 100 players signed by the six teams. Teams could sign up a maximum of ten South Africans and seven overseas cricketers in their squad. For every match, each team will be allowed to have up to four overseas players in the XI. All teams have also opted to sign one uncapped, young player.
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, and Jason Holder in action.
The league features six teams playing each other twice in a round-robin stage before the semis and final. In all, 33 matches will be played over four weeks starting 10 January 2023. The six teams—Joburg Super Kings, Pretoria Capitals, Durban SuperGiants, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Paarl Royals, and MI Cape Town—are owned by groups that have teams across various global leagues, including the Indian Premier League.
“We continue to offer fans an immersive and engaging experience by strengthening our sports portfolio with some of the best cricket action through SA20,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj. “T20 is the most popular cricket format with Indian fans. The history and legacy of South African cricket and the popularity of South African cricketers in India make it a thrilling proposition for cricket fans in India. We expect significant viewership and fan engagement as the event will be played in primetime.”
“Today is a ground-breaking day for South African cricket. This long-term partnership between the SA20 and Viacom18 as our official Indian broadcaster is a catalyst that supports our ambitions to build the world’s second-biggest league,” said SA20 League commissioner and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith. “With six IPL owners expanding their brands in South Africa, Viacom18 is the perfect partner to take the SA20 into the homes of the passionate and cricket loving Indian market.”
“The benefits of domestic cricket will be far-reaching, with more South African players exposed to a global cricket audience and a stimulus to build a strong and sustainable cricket ecosystem. As SA20, we look forward to working with the dynamic team at Viacom 18 to build a world-class league,” Smith added.
Viacom18 recently announced that JioCinema will live-stream all the matches and offer curated content around the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The world’s greatest show, the football World Cup, which happens once every four years, will be exclusively presented on JioCinema and Sports18 platforms from 20 November through 18 December.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
