South Africa is the latest country to introduce a T20 league of their own. After a discontinued Mzansi Super League and a Global T20 League which couldn't take off in the first place, Cricket South Africa with renewed hope has put in place SA20, with the help of IPL teams. The league is set to get off to a cracker of a start today with MI Cape Town led by Rashid Khan set to take on David Miller's Paarl Royals. Two star-studded teams with some of the best players of white-ball cricket will be up against each other.
Teams
Squad: Quinton De Kock (captain), Akila Dananjaya, Christiaan Jonker, Dilshan Madushanka, Dwaine Pretorius, Hardus Viljoen, Heinrich Klaasen, Jason Holder, Johnson Charles, Junior Dala, Keemo Paul, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Mayers, Matthew Breetzke, Prenelan Subrayen, Reece Topley, Simon Harmer, Wiaan Mulder
Head Coach: Lance Klusener
Joburg Super Kings
Squad: Aaron Phangiso, Alzarri Joseph, Donavon Ferreira, Faf du Plessis (captain), George Garton, Gerald Coetzee, Harry Brook, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne, Leus Du Plooy, Lewis Gregory, Lizaad Williams, Maheesh Theekshana, Malusi Siboto, Nandre Burger, Neil Brand, Reeza Hendricks, Romario Shepherd
Head Coach: Stephen Fleming
MI Cape Town
Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Beuran Hendricks, Delano Potgieter, Dewald Brevis, Duan Jansen, George Linde, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Olly Stone, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, Sam Curran, Waqar Salamkheil, Wesley Marshall, Ziyaad Abrahams
Head Coach: Simon Katich
Paarl Royals
Squad: David Miller (captain), Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Corbin Bosch, Dane Vilas, Eoin Morgan, Evan Jones, Ferisco Adams, Imran Manack, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Lungisani Ngidi, Mitchell Van Buuren, Obed Mccoy, Ramon Simmonds, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wihan Lubbe
Head Coach: JP Duminy
Pretoria Capitals
Squad: Wayne Parnell (captain), Adil Rashid, Anrich Nortje, Cameron Delport, Daryn Dupavillon, Eathan Bosch, Jimmy Neesham, Josh Little, Kusal Mendis, Marco Marais, Migael Pretorius, Phil Salt, Rilee Rossouw, Senuran Muthusamy, Shane Dadswell, Shaun Von Berg, Theunis De Bruyn, William Jacks
Head Coach: Graham Ford
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Adam Rossington, Aya Gqamane, Brydon Carse, James Fuller, Jon-Jon Smuts, Jordan Cox, Jordan Hermann, Junaid Dawood, Marco Jansen, Marques Ackerman, Mason Crane, Ottniel Baartman, Roelof Van Der Merwe, Sarel Erwee, Sisanda Magala, Tom Abell, Tristan Stubbs
Head Coach: Adrian Birrell
Telecast and streaming details
Viacom18 is the SA20's broadcasting partner. Hence, all the matches of the tournament will be live on TV on Sports18 and the live streaming will be available on the Jio Cinema app and website.
Rules
Team captains - for the very first time in a premier T20 competition - can select their playing XIs after the toss is conducted. On the day before the inaugural SA20 competition begins in Cape Town, the organisers said that this possibly revolutionary tweak, among a few other additions, has been included to "improve the quality of the product" while "preserving the sanctity" of the game. Essentially, captains must nominate 13 players before the toss, and after the coin flip, are allowed to reduce their team size to 11. The two players left out will become the substitute fielders. Another unique change to their playing conditions is that there will be no overthrow runs if an "intentional" run-out attempt results in the ball deflecting off the stumps. The organisers said this was to encourage "positive and attacking fielding. "There will also be a bonus point up for grabs in every game. Beyond the four points for a win, if a team can win with a run rate that is 1.25 times their opponents', they will earn a fifth point. Another change they've introduced is that there will be no run off a "free-hit" delivery if that ball hits the batter's wicket.
