The Super Smash is the premier T20 League event of New Zealand that is managed by the nation’s cricketing body. It features both a men’s and a women’s event that are held simultaneously.
The men’s Super Smash began in 2005. It features six teams. Four of these are from North Island and two of these are from South Island. The six teams are Auckland Aces, Canterbury Kings, Central Stages, Northern Braves, Otago Birds, and Wellington Firebirds.
A total of 32 matches are played in the tournament. The tournament features a double round-robin format in the league stage. After each team has played the other twice, the league stage ends. The team who finishes at the top of the table qualifies for the final directly. Teams that are positioned second and third play an eliminator. The winner of the eliminator plays the final.
Before the 2010 edition of the tournament, all teams featured only New Zealanders. After 2010, teams were allowed to have no more than two international players. The tournament designates a few days during the tournament that are called promotional days. During these days, the entry for fans will be completely free, including hospitality services that is managed by the board.
Northern Brave, Auckland Aces, and Wellington Firebirds are the most successful sides, winning four titles each. The next best team is Central Stags who has won three titles. The winner of the tournament gets 280,000 USD whereas the runner-up gets 140,000 USD. The player of the league receives USD 10,000.
