CAPE TOWN: Cricket South Africa (CSA) revealed on Wednesday that the SA20 player auctions will be held on October 1 in Cape Town, featuring 115 South African players and 75 international stars. The auction will feature players hailing from 14 different countries and will add a global flavor to the South African T20 league. Notable international players who could feature in the tournament include Shamar Joseph, Josh Little, Naseem Shah, Saqib Mahmood, Qais Ahmad and Kamindu Mendis. CSA reportedly received applications from over 600 players, but only 13 will be sold during this competitive auction. Graeme Smith, League Commissioner, expressed his excitement for the upcoming event, saying: Some of the biggest names on the international T20 circuit have already signed up for Season 3 and I look forward to seeing the teams finalize their squads from this competitive auction. list of players.” Each franchise will have the opportunity to field a 19-man squad consisting of 10 South Africans, 7 internationals, one rookie and one wild card. The Rookie Draft will follow the auction and allow teams to select any South African player aged 22 or under. Rookies can be selected either in the initial auction or in the subsequent draft if they remain unsold. In terms of financial muscle, Paarl Royals lead the pack with a hefty budget of R11.950 million for the auction. They are followed by MI Cape Town with R8.275 million and Pretoria Capitals with R4.575 million. The Joburg Super Kings will spend R3.925 million, while champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have R2.845 million. Last season’s runners-up, Durban’s Super Giants, enter the auction with the remaining R2.35 R million in the purse.
