The fifth season of South Africa’s popular T20 league SA20 is all set to add a new twist to the excitement among the fans. The franchises have made their strategies clear for this upcoming tournament, which is scheduled to start on January 17, 2027, and will continue till February 21. Just before the auction for the upcoming season, all six franchises have released their complete list of pre-auction retentions and player signings. This season, many big and legendary international players will be seen taking the field in new looks and new jerseys, which has further increased the excitement of the league.
Mitchell Marsh to make his league debut, Joe Root and Sam Curran change teams
The upcoming SA20 season will feature several major global stars. Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh is set to make his explosive debut in the league by joining three-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape. England’s Test captain Joe Root will once again represent Paarl Royals. Meanwhile, all-rounder Sam Curran, who left MI Cape Town, will now play alongside Jos Buttler for the Durban Super Giants. Pretoria Capitals have significantly strengthened their top order with the addition of Phil Salt and Matt Short, while West Indies star all-rounder Jason Holder has joined the Joburg Super Kings.
Veterans like Faf du Plessis and Trent Boult were released
This year’s retention and release rules have surprised many cricket fans. Joburg Super Kings have released veteran batsman Faf du Plessis, who captained the team for four seasons. Champions Sunrisers Hyderabad have also shown the door to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, while MI Cape Town has not included long-time players like Trent Boult, Rassie van der Dussen, and Kieron Pollard in their squads. Pretoria Capitals have also released players like Shai Hope and Jamie Overton, making the Joburg Super Kings and Cape Town teams the most active in the upcoming auction.
Here are the complete squads of all 6 teams before the auction:
Durban Super Giants (19/19): Jos Buttler, Devon Conway, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Sunil Narine, Kane Williamson, Marcus Ackermann, David Bedingham, Ethan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Daryn Dupavillon, Simon Harmer, Evan Jones, Aiden Markram, Kyle Simmonds, Kwena Mphaka, Andile Simelane, Heinrich Klaasen (wildcard).
Paarl Royals (19/19): Daniel Lawrence, Gudakesh Moti, Azmatullah Umarzai, Sikandar Raza, Thomas Reeves, Asa Tribe, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Otniel Bartman, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Keegan Lyon-Cachet, David Miller, Delano Potgieter, Kyle Verreynne, Hardus Viljoen, Jacob Johannes Basson, Nkobani Mokoena, Luan-Dre Pretorius, Joe Root (wildcard).
Sunrisers Eastern Cape (17/19): James Coles, Lewis Gregory, Rishad Hussain, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Milne, Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock, Jordan Harman, Patrick Kruger, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell van Buuren, CJ King, JP King, Marco Jansen (wildcard).
Pretoria Capitals (14/19): Sherfane Rutherford, Phil Salt, Matthew Short, Connor Esterhuizen, Vihaan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Bryce Parsons, Gideon Peters, Lizaad Williams, Cody Joseph, Dewald Brewis, Bayanda Majola, Andre Russell (wildcard).
MI Cape Town (13/19): Will Jacks, Rashid Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks, Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Dane Piedt, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tiaan van Vuuren, Tristan Luus, Kagiso Rabada (wildcard).
Joburg Super Kings (12/19): Leus du Plooy, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, James Vince, Matthew de Villiers, Donovan Ferreira, Diane Forrester, Duane Jensen, Rilee Rossouw, Janco Smit, Prenellan Subrayen, Jeroen Bacher.