Johannesburg: The SA20 Season 5 player auction produced the biggest shock of the night on Wednesday as West Indies legend Kieron Pollard — a Mumbai Indians lifer across global leagues — was snapped up by Joburg Super Kings, ending his long association with the MI family in franchise cricket.
Pollard, the highest run-scorer in men’s T20 history, went to JSK for R1.5 million in the second round of the auction at The Galleria in Sandton, and will wear the Super Kings jersey for the first time in his career. He has previously turned out for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI New York in Major League Cricket, MI Emirates in the ILT20 and MI Cape Town in the SA20.
It was the Super Kings who dominated the evening. Having released him ahead of the auction, JSK bought back former captain Faf du Plessis for R2.7 million after a bidding war with rivals MI Cape Town, and then broke the night’s record by signing uncapped 18-year-old all-rounder Jason Rowles for R2.9 million — making the schoolboy the most expensive player of the auction.
JSK also added USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous (R1 million), Zimbabwe quick Blessing Muzarabani (R500,000) and Dayyaan Galiem (R375,000), before naming England all-rounder Jamie Overton as their Wildcard pick.
MI Cape Town, the other big spenders, invested R2.6 million in Proteas all-rounder Wiaan Mulder — the second-costliest buy of the night — and opened their account with West Indies power-hitter Shimron Hetmyer (R1.5 million) in the very first purchase of the day. New Zealand great Trent Boult also joined MI Cape Town for R1.5 million.
Pretoria Capitals focused on value while filling five slots: Rassie van der Dussen (R500,000), Temba Bavuma, Keemo Paul, Ackeem Auguste and Josh Breed (all R200,000). Sunrisers Eastern Cape had only two vacancies and filled them with England’s Craig Overton (R1.5 million) and Nandre Burger (R500,000).
In all, 156 players — 95 South Africans and 61 overseas — went under the hammer for 19 available slots. Paarl Royals and Durban’s Super Giants did not take part, having already completed their squads. With the auction done, all six franchises have confirmed 19-player squads ahead of the season beginning on January 17.
Full list of players sold at the SA20 2027 auction: Jason Rowles (JSK, R2.9m), Faf du Plessis (JSK, R2.7m), Wiaan Mulder (MICT, R2.6m), Craig Overton (SEC, R1.5m), Kieron Pollard (JSK, R1.5m), Trent Boult (MICT, R1.5m), Shimron Hetmyer (MICT, R1.5m), Andries Gous (JSK, R1m), Rassie van der Dussen (PC, R500k), Blessing Muzarabani (JSK, R500k), Nandre Burger (SEC, R500k), Dayyaan Galiem (JSK, R375k), Temba Bavuma (PC, R200k), Josh Breed (PC, R200k), Ackeem Auguste (PC, R200k), Oliver Whitehead (MICT, R200k), Keemo Paul (PC, R200k), Lehan Botha (MICT, R200k), Daniel Smith (MICT, R200k); Jamie Overton joined JSK as Wildcard.
