As the world gears up for another cricket-packed year, South Africa’s premier T20 tournament, SA20, is set to kick off its third edition on January 9, 2025. Recognized as one of the top franchise leagues globally, SA20 continues to attract top international players, emerging talents, and millions of fans.
With six teams competing in a double round-robin format, followed by high-stakes playoffs, the tournament promises action-packed matches. The final is scheduled for February 8, 2025, ensuring a thrilling climax to a month of cricket frenzy.
We’re going to this one a bit differently. There isn’t a point in bringing forth a Klaasen or Stubbs or Rabada as one to watch out for obvious reasons. With an attempt to unearth some gems and breakout stars, here is one player from each franchise who could have a big season ahead.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC)
Squad: Aiden Markram, Zak Crawley, Roelof van der Merwe, Liam Dawson, Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Beyers Swanepoel, Caleb Seleka, Tristan Stubbs, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Craig Overton, Tom Abell, Simon Harmer, Andile Simelane, David Bedingham, Okuhle Cele, Richard Gleeson, Daniel Smith
Predicted Playing XI: Crawley, Hermann, Bedingham, Markram (c), Stubbs (wk), Abell, Jansen, van der Merwe, Simelane, Baartman and Gleeson
Pretoria Capitals (PC)
Squad: Anrich Nortje, Jimmy Neesham, Will Jacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Liam Livingstone, Will Smeed, Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell, Senuran Muthusamy, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Steve Stolk, Tiaan van Vuuren, Marques Ackerman, Evin Lewis, Kyle Simmonds, Keagan Lion-Cachet
Predicted Playing XI: Jacks, Gurbaz (wk), Rossouw, Verreynne, Stolk, Neesham, Parnell (c), Pretorius, Muthusamy, Bosch and Nortje
Joburg Super Kings (JSK)
Squad: Faf Du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Maheesh Theekshana, Devon Conway, Gerald Coetzee, David Wiese, Leus Du Plooy, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Imran Tahir, Sibonelo Makhanya, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wihan Lubbe, Evan Jones, Doug Bracewell, JP King
Predicted Playing XI: du Plessis (c), Conway (wk), King, Bairstow, Moeen, Ferreira, Wiese, Coetzee, Theekshana, Burger and Shamsi
Durban Super Giants (DSG)
Squad: Brandon King, Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kane Williamson, Chris Woakes, Prenelan Subrayen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Noor Ahmed, Heinrich Klaasen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Junior Dala, Bryce Parsons, Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Shamar Joseph, CJ King
Predicted Playing XI: de Kock (wk), Breetzke, Williamson, Klaasen, Stoinis, Smith, Pretorius, Maharaj (c), Noor, Naveen and Shamar.
Paarl Royals (PR)
Squad: David Miller, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sam Hain, Joe Root, Dinesh Karthik, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Van Buuren, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Andile Phehlukwayo, Codi Yusuf, John Turner, Dayyaan Galiem, Jacob Bethell, Rubin Hermann, Dewan Marais
Predicted Playing XI: Pretorius, Root, Hain, Miller (c), van Buuren, Karthik (wk), Phehlukwayo, Fortuin, Maphaka, Mujeeb and Ngidi
MI Cape Town (MICT)
Squad: Rashid Khan, Ben Stokes, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Azmatullah Omarzai, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Nuwan Thushara, Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Rassie van der Dussen, Thomas Kaber, Chris Benjamin, Corbin Bosch, Colin Ingram, Reeza Hendricks, Dane Piedt, Tristan Luus
Predicted Playing XI: Reeza, Rickelton (wk), van der Dussen, Brevis, Stokes, Azmatullah, Bosch, Linde, Rashid, Rabada and Boult
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