Former CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat
Former Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Haroon Lorgat said he was "really disappointed" to see the T20 Global League collapse and called for an "independent inquiry" to unearth the reasons behind its abandonment three years ago.
The T20 Global League comprising eight teams was scheduled to be held in South Africa from November 2017 but it was deferred by a year due to lack of a broadcast deal and title sponsor.
In June, 2018, the event was replaced by Mzansi Super League, a league featuring six CSA-owned teams.
"I could not believe what I was hearing when I received the news that the T20 Global League was postponed or cancelled," Lorgat, who had stepped down in September 2017, was quoted as saying by 'Times Live'.
"It was such a good thing for cricket in SA and it left me with a feeling of real disappointment."
Lorgat had "mutually agreed to part ways" with CSA "because of a "breakdown" in their relationship, mainly due to the handling of the T20 Global League.
There were allegations that Lorgat had undermined the board by withholding critical financial information related to the league.
Lorgat denied the accusations of financial misinformation and said he had always kept the members informed.
"There's documentary evidence to that effect. In fact Mr Moroe, (chairman of the GLT20 board), Mr Nenzani, Mr von Zeuner and Mr Khan all served on a sub-committee into which I reported regularly," said the 60-year-old, who also served as ICC CEO between 2008 and 2012.
"As for the T20 Global League, I would be pleased to see an independent inquiry," said Lorgat.
Three months after Lorgat's departure, CSA board chairperson and president Chris Nenzani had come up with a statement saying that no financial irregularities were found.
"A complete reconciliation of the total expenditure incurred on the T20GL has been concluded and we can now confirm that all monies have been adequately accounted for and that we have found no irregularities or financial mismanagement," Nenzani had said in the statement.
