The six SA20 franchises have announced their retention list and pre-signings ahead of the auction for the fourth edition. Here’s how the squads have shaped up.
Like last season, six teams will participate in the fourth edition of the competition: Durban Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
Each of the six teams was allowed to retain or pre-sign a maximum of six players – with no more than three South African and three overseas players – before the retention deadline on July 18. Teams could also add one wildcard signing, either domestic or foreign.
A total of 84 slots across six teams will be filled during the auction on September 9 in Johannesburg.
MICT retain title-winning core; SEC shock with Markram release
Defending champions MI Cape Town have retained their core squad – George Linde, Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan, and Trent Boult – while adding Kagiso Rabada as a wildcard signing. This leaves them with the league's smallest remaining purse (R11.5 million) ahead of the auction.
In a surprise move, Sunrisers Eastern Cape – winners of the first two editions and finalists last year – released their captain Aiden Markram. Instead, they retained Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen, with the latter being a wildcard signing.
Last year’s fifth-place finishers, Pretoria Capitals and wooden spooners Durban’s Super Giants, enter the bidding war with the highest purses of R32.5 million and R29.5 million, respectively. Their dismal performances – just two wins in 12 matches each – prompted major squad overhauls.
Durban’s overseas signings feature Sunil Narine, Noor Ahmed, Jos Buttler, and wildcard Heinrich Klaasen. Pretoria, meanwhile, retained Will Jacks while adding West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford and Andre Russell in the mix.
The new season will start on Boxing Day (December 26) with the final a month later, on January 26, 2026
#BetwaySA20 Season 4 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗧🔥
— Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) July 9, 2025
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SA20 2026 auction: List of retained players and pre-signings
*Underlined names denote overseas players
Durban Super Giants
Purse remaining: R29.5 million
Sunil Narine, Noor Ahmad, Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen (Wildcard)
Joburg Super Kings
Purse remaining: R21.5 million
Faf du Plessis, James Vince, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, Donovan Ferreira (Wildcard)
MI Cape Town
Purse remaining: R11.5 million
Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada (Wildcard)
Paarl Royals
Purse remaining: R14.5 million
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, David Miller, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sikandar Raza, Rubin Hermann (Wildcard)
Pretoria Capitals
Purse remaining: R32.5 million
Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell (Wildcard)
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Purse remaining: R21.5 million
Tristan Stubbs, AM Ghazanfar, Adam Milne, Jonny Bairstow, Marco Jansen (Wildcard)
