Photo Credit: SA20 League
Betway SA20 Season 3 is primed to be the best-ever yet after the six teams announced high-quality preliminary squads.
All six squads have attracted elite-level overseas players along with retaining the best South African talent.
Each team has also shown their commitment to developing young local players with seven of the eight inaugural Rookies of last season being incorporated into the squads.
There will be a further opportunity to top up their squads at the third edition of the Betway SA20 auction on October 1.
This is primed to be yet another exciting event with 13 auction picks available across the six teams, along with the six Rookie selections.
Back-to-back champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have not strayed from their winning formula with the retention of the majority of the squad, but will be further boosted with the return of Season 1 hero Roelof van der Merwe.
The ‘Bulldog’ will be joined next season by England internationals Craig Overton and Zak Crawley. Impressive Proteas batter David Bedingham is also set to debut in South Africa’s premier T20 competition after being added as a Wildcard.
The Sunrisers, therefore, have two auction picks remaining with a purse of R2.845 million remaining.
Runners-up Durban’s Super Giants are certainly aiming to go one step better next season after the procurement of a star-studded international quartet.
Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, England all-rounder Chris Woakes, West Indian opener Brandon King will all call Kingsmead home next season, while Australian dynamo Marcus Stoinis will also return to Durban for a second stint after being recruited as the Wildcard.
The Super Giants have a balance of R2.35 million to spend on their one remaining auction pick.
In contrast, the Paarl Royals have the biggest purse of R11.95 million remaining for just one auction pick in the bank.
The Royals have already significantly strengthened their squad with the addition of former England captain Joe Root and the marquee signing of the first-ever Indian player to participate in SA20 in Dinesh Karthik.
Afghanistan’s mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is also set to thrill the Boland faithful with his bag of tricks, while English duo Jacob Bethell and Sam Hain have been added to the squad.
The Royals have placed a great emphasis on youthful energy with the retention of South African teen fast bowling sensation Kwena Maphaka along with his SA U19 teammate Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
They have also performed the second trade within Betway SA20 history after releasing Tabraiz Shamsi to the Joburg Super Kings and Dayyaan Galiem heading to Paarl.
The Super Kings will therefore be heading into the auction in search of three players with a purse of R3.925 million to spend.
The Super Kings have placed a major emphasis on strengthening their top-order with the signing of New Zealand opener Devon Conway, who will make an emotional return to his hometown after leaving for the Land of the Long White Cloud, and England’s ODI World Cup winner Jonny Bairstow.
Along with Shamsi’s trade, the spin contingent has been further boosted with the return of Sri Lankan Maheesh Theekshana to the Bullring after missing Season 2.
Local rivals Pretoria Capitals have brought in recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup top run-getter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Afghanistan and English prodigy Will Smeed.
The Capitals’ movements at the auction will be closely monitored as they need to fill three spots with a purse of R4 575 million remaining.
Last, but certainly not least is MI Cape Town.
The glorious Table Mountain overlooking Newlands has once again enticed some of the biggest names on the global circuit to MICT.
England Test captain and double white-ball World Cup winner Ben Stokes headlines the list along with the return of Afghanistan superstar captain Rashid Khan to the Mother City.
They will be joined by fellow Afghan Azmatullah Omarzai and New Zealand’s premier swing bowler Trent Boult.
MICT will have plenty more business to complete on auction day though as they are still in search of three players with a hefty purse of R8.275 million to spend.
MICT are one of three teams, along with JSK and Pretoria Capitals, that still have the Wildcard option available to them ahead of the December 30 deadline.
All teams are required to incorporate a minimum of 10 South African players, a maximum of seven overseas players and an additional new Rookie player who must be South African in their 19-player squad.
The auction will take place on October 1 in Cape Town and will be broadcast live on SuperSport and streamed on the Betway SA20 YouTube channel.
AUCTION PICKS TO FILL AND REMAINING SALARY CAP
Durban’s Super Giants | 1 (max 1 overseas) | R2.35-million
Joburg Super Kings | 3 (max 2 overseas) | R3.925-million
MI Cape Town | 3 (max 1 overseas) | R8.275-million
Paarl Royals | 1 (max 1 overseas) | R11.95-million
Pretoria Capitals | 3 (max 3 overseas) | R4.575-million
Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 2 (max 2 overseas) | R2.845-million
all teams will draft a Rookie too
