SA20 Season 5 is set for another star-studded edition, with franchises locking in their core squads ahead of the player auction on October 7.
Australia T20 captain Mitchell Marsh will make his SA20 debut with Sunrisers Eastern Cape, while England all-rounder Sam Curran has joined Durban's Super Giants. Joe Root, Phil Salt, Will Jacks and Jason Holder are also among the big names involved in the latest round of squad moves.
SA20 Season 5 will begin on January 17, with defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape taking on Pretoria Capitals in a repeat of last season's final. The final will be played at Newlands on February 21.
Here's a look at the key transfers and retained stars.
Key player moves ahead of the SA20 Season 5 auction
- Mitchell Marsh- Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20 debut), joining Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann and captain Tristan Stubbs.
- Sam Curran- Durban's Super Giants (from MI Cape Town), where he will link up with England teammate Jos Buttler.
- Joe Root- Returns to Paarl Royals, where he previously opened alongside Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
- Phil Salt- Returns to Pretoria Capitals, reuniting with Australian all-rounder Matt Short at the top of the order.
- Will Jacks- Moves to MI Cape Town after three seasons with Pretoria Capitals, completing the trio of MI franchises after representing Mumbai Indians in the IPL and MI London in The Hundred.
- Jason Holder- Joins Joburg Super Kings, who are searching for a new captain after parting ways with Faf du Plessis, who led the franchise in each of its first four seasons.
Big names released before the auction
Several high-profile players will head into the October 7 auction after being released by their franchises, including:
- Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
- Trent Boult (MI Cape Town)
- Rassie van der Dussen (MI Cape Town)
- Kieron Pollard (MI Cape Town)
- Wiaan Mulder (Joburg Super Kings)
- Nandre Burger (Joburg Super Kings)
Durban's Super Giants and Paarl Royals are the only two franchises to have completed their 19-player squads before the auction, while the remaining four teams still have vacancies to fill.
SA20 League Commissioner Graeme Smith said the arrival of players such as Mitchell Marsh, Sam Curran, Joe Root and Phil Salt underlined the tournament's growing global appeal.
"Season 5 is shaping up to be our strongest yet. Bringing in a player of Mitchell Marsh's calibre alongside the class of Joe Root, Sam Curran and Phil Salt shows the growing pull of our league on the global stage," Smith said.
