Franchises confirm 30 players for fourth season of SA20 league
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been announced as a wildcard pick by defending champions MI Cape Town for next season's SA20 league. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
A total of 24 players have either been retained or pre-signed contracts with SA20 teams, while all six wildcard players have also been announced, ahead of next season's fourth edition of the popular T20 league.
Each of the six franchises were permitted a maximum of six retained or pre-signed players, comprising a maximum of three South African and three overseas players, during the player retention window which closed last week.
In addition, each franchise was allowed a wildcard pick, which could be any player who was part of the team's squad in season three.
The list of 30 players, which were released on Wednesday, included 17 foreigners and 13 South Africans.
Upcoming auction
The remaining 84 slots in the respective squads were set to be confirmed at the player auction in Johannesburg on 9 September, where the franchises had a collective maximum purse of R131 million they could still spend on compiling their squads.
Notable South African players available to be picked up at the auction include Proteas World Test Championship final heroes Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj, along with top young talent Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka. T20 specialists Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi are also available.
'When the league first drafted its regulations in season one, we always saw this forthcoming season as an opportunity for a strategic reset, and this is exactly where we envisioned being,' said SA20 league commissioner Graeme Smith.
'There's now a strong balance between pre-signed and retained international and Proteas players, alongside a significant purse available for the auction.
'After three seasons, the franchises have developed a good understanding of the South Africa cricket ecosystem and adopted a distinct strategy which sets the stage for the most exciting auction yet.'
The 2025/26 SA20 league will be held between 26 December and 26 January, shortly ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February.
Signed players and remaining salary caps
Durban's Super Giants (R29.5 million):
Sunil Narine, Noor Ahmad, Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen (wildcard)
Joburg Super Kings (R21.5 million):
Faf Du Plessis, James Vince, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, Donovan Ferreira (wildcard)
MI Cape Town (R11.5 million):
Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada (wildcard)
Paarl Royals (R14.5 million):
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, David Miller, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sikandar Raza, Rubin Hermann (wildcard)
Pretoria Capitals (R32.5 million):
Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell (Wildcard)
Sunrisers Eastern Cape (R21,5 million):
Tristan Stubbs, Allah Ghazanfar, Adam Milne, Jonny Bairstow, Marco Jansen (wildcard)
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