However, as revealed by the Herald last month, further delays to the process carry serious risk – with a number of Black Caps considering not signing central contracts and instead taking up overseas deals because of the lack of clarity for the upcoming home season.
As chief executive of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association (NZCPA), the organisation representing a collective of past and former players, Mills makes no bones over which way he leans.
The Black Caps made the final of the recent T20 World Cup in India. Photo / Photosport
The NZCPA is a staunch backer of the NZ20, with several of the Black Caps and White Ferns having played in privately-owned overseas franchise leagues, seeing the benefits, and wanting the game in Aotearoa to enjoy similar windfalls.
While, if successful, Mills would not be involved operationally in NZ20, he has been its biggest champion through its inception and presentation to the powers that be.
That, then, makes the timing of his exit all the more curious. Having helmed the NZCPA for more than two decades, Mills will take on a more significant role with the World Cricketers Association, as well as with advisory business Strata Collective.
But speaking after going public with his resignation, Mills outlined that leaving the NZCPA was nothing to do with his involvement in NZ20.
“It’s simply not right to compare those two things, I’ll be unequivocal about that,” Mills told the Herald.
“We hope NZC will find a way to support NZ20. From a personal point of view, I don’t see any reason why someone would question that, if they understood the global cricketing environment and changes happening in our sport.
“It’s not for us to make the decision, NZC have asked us to prepare a position paper. We did that and sent it to them. They’re well aware of the players’ collective views.
“We just hope they find a way to make a good decision in the coming weeks. Whatever decision they make is the decision we’ll all have to live with.
“But from my point of view, and the players’ point of view, there’s no question in my mind that NZ20 is the right answer for our game and will help cricket thrive across the country.”
Aside from Mills and the NZCPA, the NZ20’s establishing committee is being chaired by renowned lawyer Don Mackinnon, which is also backed by former Black Caps captains Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori.
All six of NZC’s Major Associations – Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago – are also on board, with the Big Bash alternative likely to decimate their status as T20 sides.
New Zealand batter Finn Allen celebrates with Rachin Ravindra after scoring 100 runs as the Black Caps qualified for the final at the T20 World Cup. Photo / Shubhajit Roy Karmakar
However, the ball rests firmly in NZC’s court. The board is expected to finalise a decision over the future direction in the coming weeks.
The NZ20 would see private money come into New Zealand and hope to attract players from around the world to one of six Kiwi franchises, to play at the peak of the summer, as early as January 2027.
As one of the main benefits of the league, the NZ20 would give players an opportunity to ply their trade in their own country.
The Black Caps’ two standouts in their run to the final of this month’s T20 World Cup final, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, are both effectively freelancers after handing back NZC central contracts to take up franchise opportunities overseas.
Allen in particular has been vocal in expressing that freelance life isn’t about money, it’s about earning a chance to improve, playing with and against the best players possible.
And at the very least, while NZC might have already lost the likes of Allen and Seifert, the NZ20 would help keep the next generation playing in front of Kiwi fans.
All that remains is for NZC to make the decision over what competition it wants its best and brightest playing in.
“The players are as frustrated as anyone with the time it’s taking,” Mills added. “NZ Cricket have undertaken a process with Deloitte. We need to be respectful of that.
“It’s important to remember, we have a huge responsibility to the game and to the people we represent. We have a responsibility to ensure the Major Associations and cricket in New Zealand is thriving.
“Players want to see fans engaged in the sport. We know it’s an important decision to make. But it didn’t take us long, knowing what we know about the world game, to work out this is the right answer.
“We appreciate NZ Cricket has a lot of stakeholders, there may be different views within that.
“They have to work their way through a process, we just hope it’s coming to a conclusion soon.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.