By Victoria Hamilton 
Franchises Lock in Star Power as SA20 Season 4 Auction Builds Hype
The countdown to the SA20 Season 4 Auction has officially begun, and the six participating franchises have fired the opening salvo by announcing their pre-signed and retained players, including six strategic Wildcard picks. With a collective auction purse of R131 million, anticipation is building ahead of the September 9 auction in Johannesburg.
Each team was permitted to retain or pre-sign up to six players—three South Africans and three overseas stars—and also confirm one Wildcard who featured in Season 3. These moves now frame the tactical direction each franchise will pursue when bidding resumes.
Big Names, Bigger Strategies
The Durban’s Super Giants have made their overseas intent clear with the trio of Sunil Narine, Jos Buttler, and Noor Ahmad headlining their signings. The decision to retain Heinrich Klaasen as Wildcard highlights their focus on experienced T20 specialists. With R29.5 million left, they hold the second-largest purse and are poised to make an impact on auction day.
Joburg Super Kings, meanwhile, have focused on balance—retaining skipper Faf du Plessis and adding England’s James Vince and Richard Gleeson to bolster their batting and pace options. With R21.5 million remaining, they’ll be in the mix for big-name targets.
Defending Champions Go All-In
MI Cape Town, fresh off a title-winning campaign, have opted for squad continuity. Star bowlers Rashid Khan and Trent Boult return alongside Nicholas Pooran, who joins as a new overseas signing. Their Wildcard pick, Kagiso Rabada, ensures MICT retains firepower with both ball and bat. However, with just R11.5 million left, their auction manoeuvrability will be tested.
The Paarl Royals continue to back youth, retaining teen sensation Lhuan-dre Pretorius—Season 3’s Batter of the Season—while also adding Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, a historic first for the league. They’ll enter the auction with R14.5 million to round out their squad.
Capitals Hold Firepower
Pretoria Capitals made the bold choice of heading into the auction with minimal commitments—retaining Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, and Andre Russell as Wildcard. With R32.5 million in hand, they hold the largest budget and the most remaining slots (16), giving them massive leverage on auction day.
The ever-formidable Sunrisers Eastern Cape are again blending youth with experience. Retentions include Tristan Stubbs, Adam Milne, and Jonny Bairstow, with mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar poised to make waves. Marco Jansen, Season 3’s MVP, returns as their Wildcard.
Star-Studded Auction Pool Awaits
With marquee Proteas such as Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj, and Dewald Brevis all available, bidding wars are inevitable. Rising talents like Kwena Maphaka add further intrigue to what is poised to be the most competitive auction in SA20 history.
League Commissioner Graeme Smith called it a “strategic reset” for the tournament, citing a more balanced distribution of domestic and international stars. “Franchises are now well-aligned with the local ecosystem, and the auction promises fireworks,” he said.
Watch SA20 Auction Live
Fans can catch all the action live on SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa) and JioHotstar (India), with real-time updates across SA20’s official social media platforms.
Zainab Shafiq