The fourth annual player auction, which will take place in Johannesburg on Tuesday, September 9, will confirm all of the well-known and up-and-coming players who will be the main attractions of Season 4 of SA20.
With a minimum of 72 player slots up for auction, the event this year is expected to feature high-stakes buying and perhaps squad changes. The League continues to give local talent opportunities a global platform, and the roster composition of the teams stays the same. Teams are allowed to sign a minimum of 11 South African players and a maximum of seven foreign players out of the 18 players in the regular squad.
Teams will once more be able to add one Wildcard player to each roster in Season 4. The League cost for the Wildcard player is not subject to the salary ceiling, and they may be from South Africa or another country. No more than six retentions or pre-signed players, including a maximum of three South African and three foreign players, are allowed by the teams prior to the auction.
This year’s salary ceiling is the highest in the competition’s history, with a substantial USD 2.3 million available to each of the six organisations to assemble their teams. The wage cap is the biggest franchise T20 League salary cap outside of India, having risen steadily from USD 1.9 million in season 1.
Right to Match (RTM) Cards are a major strategic innovation that has been included to the Season 4 auction in a first for SA20.
A franchise can match a winning auction bid on a player who played for that team in Season 3 and keep him for Season 4 by using a Right to Match Card. The number of South African pre-auction player retentions each side uses will determine how many RTM cards they can use.
With almost 60% of player slots up for grabs, the SA20 Season 4 Player Auction is looking to be the most interesting yet, according to Stephen Cook, Head of Cricket Operations, SA20. Teams will be able to carefully choose their squads and create intriguing scenarios with mechanisms like RTM cards, Wildcard players, and a higher salary cap. In recent years, there have been a number of transactions that have changed people’s lives, and there should be many more at the next auction.
The League is unwavering in its dedication to nurturing South Africa’s youth. Teams must sign at least two Under-23 players on their final 19-man rosters; the Rookie Draft will no longer be used.
The always well-liked Richard Madley, who has quickly come to represent the SA20 auction, will once more use his gavel to steer the proceedings. All of the League’s social media channels will provide coverage of the auction, which will be aired live on SuperSport and the SA20 YouTube Channel.
Prior to the much-anticipated fourth season, which will begin on December 26, 2025, in a “festive season” slot, the auction represents the first significant milestone.
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