SA20 - SEC sign Mitchell Marsh; Phil Salt returns to Pretoria Capitals, Joe Root to Paarl Royals

SA20 defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have added more firepower to their squad with the inclusion of Mitchell Marsh, who will play in South Africa’s franchise T20 league for the first time. Marsh joins a squad that includes Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs and Adam Milne, and who have won three of the four SA20 titles so far.

The fifth SA20 season, which kicks off on January 17, will be preceded by a mini-auction which takes place on October 7. There are 20 playing spots up for grabs – including one wild card available to Joburg Super Kings (which does not come out of the salary cap) – across four of the six franchises, after Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals completed their 19-player squads ahead of time. Each squad may include a maximum of seven overseas players and a minimum of two under the age of 23.

This is how the squads stack up:

The league’s most successful franchise have retained their core, with Stubbs set for a second season as captain, and the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker Jansen to headline the attack. Apart from the addition of Marsh, they have also secured the services of Bangladesh’s legspin-bowling allrounder Rishad Hossain, who finished with the same number of wickets (14) as Rashid Khan at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Squad: James Coles, Lewis Gregory, Rishad Hossain, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Milne, Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell van Buuren, CJ King, JP King, Marco Jansen

Spots available: 2

In: Rishad Hossain, Mitchell Marsh
Out: Chris Wood, AM Ghazanfar, Tharindu Ratnayake, Beyers Swanepoel

Last season’s runners-up include the league’s most expensive player Dewald Brevis, who remains at the core of their batting line-up. They welcome back England international Phil Salt, who played for them in the first two seasons, and have added Australia batter Matthew Short to the squad, but have let go of Jordan Cox, Shai Hope and Roston Chase. An exciting newcomer to their ranks is 19-year old seamer Bayanda Majola, who played for South Africa at the age-group World Cup earlier this year.

Squad: Sherfane Rutherford, Phil Salt, Matthew Short, Connor Esterhuizen, Wihan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Bryce Parsons, Gideon Peters, Lizaad Williams, Codi Yusuf, Dewald Brevis, Bayanda Majola, Andre Russell

Spots available: 5

In: Phil Salt, Matthew Short, Bayanda Majola
Out: Jordan Cox, Shai Hope, Sibonelo Makhanya, Meeka-eel Prince, Will Smeed, Daniel Smith, Roston Chase, Junaid Dawood, Keith Dudgeon, Tymal Mills

England Test captain Joe Root will return to the Paarl franchise, where he played in season three, but his participation in the tournament will be limited by his team’s tour to Bangladesh. Royals have a strong English contingent with Asa Tribe, who played last season, and Thomas Rew, who was withdrawn in 2026, also in the squad. They have added a seamer in Under-19 international JJ Basson, who was South Africa’s leading bowler at the age-group World Cup, and let go of the Sri Lankan duo of Vishen Halambage and Eshan Malinga. West Indies and Zimbabwe internationals Gudakesh Motie and Sikandar Raza remain part of the squad.

Squad: Daniel Lawrence, Gudakesh Motie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sikandar Raza, Thomas Rew, Asa Tribe, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Ottneil Baartman, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Keagan Lion-Cachet, David Miller, Delano Potgieter, Kyle Verreynne, Hardus Viljoen, JJ Basson, Nqobani Mokoena, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Joe Root

Spots available: 0

In: JJ Basson, Joe Root, Thomas Rew
Out: Vishen Halambage, Okuhle Cele, Eshan Malinga, Nqabayomzi Peter, Waqar Salamkheil

Big changes are looming for JSK, who appointed Albie Morkel as their head coach after Stephen Fleming left the franchise. They announced a squad without veteran leader du Plessis or South African legend Tahir, both of who have been part of the set-up since the start. West Indies allrounder Jason Holder, who previously played for DSG, is back at the event for the Highveld side but they are also without Nandre Burger, Reece Topley and Wiaan Mulder and will be on the hunt for a pace pack.

Squad: Leus du Plooy, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, James Vince, Matthew de Villiers, Donovan Ferreira, Dian Forrester, Duan Jansen, Rilee Rossouw, Janco Smit, Prenelan Subrayen, Jarren Bacher

Spots available: 7

In: Leus du Plooy, Jason Holder
Out: Rivaldo Moonsamy, Michael Pepper, Steve Stolk, Neil Timmers, James Vince, Faf du Plessis, Shubham Ranjane, Nandre Burger, Imran Tahir, Richard Gleeson, Reece Topley, Daniel Worrall, Wiaan Mulder

The squad with the fewest changes is DSG, who have only three changes and no spaces available at the auction. Sam Curran is the most notable inclusion, after he previously played at MICT for two seasons. Former South Africa and Namibia international David Wiese and Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad are out of their squad. Their mega stars include Heinrich Klaasen, captain Aiden Markram, Jos Buttler and Sunil Narine.

Squad: Jos Buttler, Devon Conway, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Sunil Narine, Kane Williamson, Marques Ackermann, David Bedingham, Eathan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Daryn Dupavillon, Simon Harmer, Evan Jones, Aiden Markram, Kyle Simmonds, Kwena Maphaka, Andile Simelane, Heinrich Klaasen

Spots available: 0

In: Sam Curran, Kyle Simmonds
Out: Dayyaan Galiem, David Wiese, Noor Ahmad

After finishing last in season four, MICT have to make strategic moves and the first seems to be letting go of experience. None of van der Dussen, Pollard, Dwaine Pretorius or Boult are on their list and they have only acquired the services of England allrounder Will Jacks, who used to play for Pretoria. That suggests they will need to have a good auction to bolster their ranks.

Squad: Will Jacks, Rashid Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks, Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Dane Piedt, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tiaan van Vuuren, Tristan Luus, Kagiso Rabada

Spots available: 6

In: Will Jacks
Out: Rassie van der Dussen, Daniel Lategan, Tom Moores, Karim Janat, Kieron Pollard, Dwaine Pretorius, Jacques Snyman, Trent Boult

Firdose Moonda is Cricinfo’s senior correspondent for Africa and women’s cricket

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