MI Cape Town players pose for picture
A very open SA20 competition is on the cards after most teams made sweeping personnel changes ahead of the fourth edition which gets underway in Cape Town on Friday.
It is in fact the defending champions and opening game hosts, MI Cape Town, who have made the least changes to their side as they attempt to keep the core together from their 2025 title winning campaign.
They have kept hold of pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada and star Afghanistan allrounder and captain Rashid Khan, as well as top performers in New Zealander Trent Boult, and Proteas players Ryan Rickelton, George Linde and Corbin Bosch.
In what could be a hammer blow however, they lost one of the game’s most destructive young stars in Dewald Brevis, who was the record signing at the SA20 auction, picked up by the Pretoria Capitals, and MI CT have tried to fill that whole with the signing of West Indian heavy hitter Nicholas Pooran.
But they once again have a solid squad and should definitely be counted as one of the favourites for SA20 season four.
Capitals rebuild
In an effort to get themselves into the final, which they managed in the first edition of the SA20, the Pretoria Capitals have gone the opposite way of the defending champs, and changed their whole team.
Brevis is their marquee signing, experienced Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj has come in as captain, while they have brought in a fearsome pace attack, with Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams and Codi Yusuf likely to lead the line.
Veteran West Indian allrounder André Russell will bring plenty of experience to the team and will hope to make a big impact along with fellow West Indians Shai Hope and Roston Chase, as well as veteran England quick Tymal Mills.
Durban’s Super Giants have turned to inspirational captain Aiden Markram to lead them to glory, and will hope he has the Midas touch as he moves up the coast.
Markram led the Proteas to the T20 World Cup final in the West Indies in 2024, where they lost out to India, and has led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to three straight SA20 finals, the first two of which they won.
He will be backed up by some impressive international talents in England’s Jos Buttler, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and South Africa-born Devon Conway, Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad, West Indies’ Sunil Narine, and former Proteas big hitter Heinrich Klaasen. Simon Harmer has also come into the squad as an interim stand-in for Narine.
They will also hope to get the best out of young pace bowlers Gerald Coetzee and Kwena Maphaka should they be fit.
Sunrisers shake up
The Sunrisers will undoubtedly feel the loss of Markram, but managed to keep hold of season three MVP Marco Jansen, and power hitter Tristan Stubbs, who has taken over the captaincy.
They have also bolstered their team with the likes of England’s Jonny Bairstow, and big hitting top order batters Quinton de Kock and Matthew Breetzke.
Allrounder Senuran Muthusamy, who recently starred for the Proteas in their Test series win over India, will hope to take that momentum into the tournament, while Anrich Nortjé is back from injury and will be firing on all cylinders.
The Paarl Royals have yet to make the competition final and will be aiming to reach it this time, after finishing second on the log last season, but were knocked out in the playoffs.
They have managed to hold on to a number of their star players, including exciting rising talent Lhuan-dré Pretorius, along with captain David Miller, allrounder Bjorn Fortuin and batter Rubin Hermann.
But they’ve lost a big bowling contingent in Ngidi, Maphaka and Andile Phehlukwayo, and will hope that Ottneil Baartman will be able to step in and lead the line, along with veteran Hardus Viljoen.
They have also lost England internationals Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, but have offset that with the signings of Zimbabwe allrounder Sikander Raza and English batter Dan Lawrence, while West Indian spinner Gudakesh Motie will look to exploit the conditions in Paarl.
JSK changes
The only other team to have not made the final in the first three seasons of the SA20 is the Joburg Super Kings, who have made the playoffs every year, but have been unable to get into the headline game.
They have also made a large number of changes to their side, only holding onto veteran captain Faf du Plessis and big hitting allrounder Donovan Ferreira.
They will be relying on an experienced international contingent, featuring Proteas allrounder Wiaan Mulder, big hitter James Vince and pace bowler Reece Topley, both from England, and West Indian spinner Akeal Hosein to get them to the finale.
Experienced locals Rilee Rossouw and Rivaldo Moonsamy will also have a part to play, along with exciting rising talent Matthew de Villiers.
In all it is set to be a thrilling fourth edition of the SA20 and any team will be able to take the title.
Our picks for SA20 season four:
Winners: MI Cape Town
Runners-up: Durban’s Super Giants
Placings after pool stage:
1. MI Cape Town
2. Durban’s Super Giants
3. Pretoria Capitals
4. Sunrisers Eastern Cape
5. Joburg Super Kings
6. Paarl Royals
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