Johannesburg: The SA20 Season 5 auction takes place on October 7, with 156 shortlisted players going under the hammer as four of the six franchises battle to complete their squads.
A total of 789 players registered, with 95 South Africans and 61 overseas names making the final shortlist. Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals completed their 19-player squads before the auction and will sit out, leaving 19 slots to be filled across the remaining four teams.
Purse positions
Joburg Super Kings hold the biggest purse at 20.6 million rand with six slots to fill, making them the team to watch. MI Cape Town have 9.35 million rand for six spots, Sunrisers Eastern Cape 3.6 million for two, and Pretoria Capitals 1.475 million for five. The combined available spend is just over 35 million rand.
Marquee names
Faf du Plessis headlines the auction pool after Joburg released their former captain in a surprise call. Kieron Pollard, let go by MI Cape Town, fellow veteran Trent Boult and 40-plus leg-spinner Imran Tahir will also attract bids. Bangladesh quick Nahid Rana enters the highest base-price bracket as his country’s sole representative, though Rishad Hossain has already joined Sunrisers Eastern Cape outside the auction.
Teams to watch
Joburg Super Kings’ war chest makes them the auction’s main event. Having released Faf du Plessis, Wiaan Mulder and Nandre Burger, they need six players including an under-23 — and still hold a Wildcard option after the auction. MI Cape Town, under new leadership after Kieron Pollard’s exit, must also fill six spots around Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada.
Don’t overlook the settled sides. Durban’s Super Giants (Markram, Klaasen, Buttler, Williamson, Narine) and Paarl Royals (Miller, Root, Raza) skipped the auction entirely, backing continuity. Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the three-time champions, need only two players to complete a squad already featuring Quinton de Kock, Mitchell Marsh and Marco Jansen.
What they said
League commissioner Graeme Smith believes the fifth season will be the strongest yet, pointing to the blend of global stars and South African depth. With most franchises retaining their cores, he argued, “this sets us up for a highly competitive Season 5.” Tonight’s auction will decide whether the chasing pack can close the gap.
Season 5 outlook
The fifth season runs from January 17 to February 21, 2027, opening at St George’s Park in Gqeberha with the final at Newlands in Cape Town. New coaches Albie Morkel (Joburg) and Sourav Ganguly (Pretoria) add intrigue, while Aiden Markram, Rashid Khan, David Miller, Keshav Maharaj and Tristan Stubbs lead the six franchises. “Season 5 is shaping up to be our strongest yet,” said league commissioner Graeme Smith.
