The SA20 is a T20 franchise cricket tournament that is conducted in South Africa. The SA20 also attracts internationals from other countries and aims to be the biggest league outside the IPL. Launched in 2023, the tournament consists of six franchises that are each owned by IPL team owners.
More than just entertainment, the league also provides a platform for South African talents to showcase their skills. With a huge global broadcasting reach and rising popularity, the SA20 has firmly cemented its place among the biggest T20 leagues in the world.
No Indian Cricketer Shortlisted for Season Four
The auction for Season four of the SA20 is set to be conducted on 9 September in Johannesburg. A record 800-plus cricketers had thrown their hats into the ring, but only 541 names have been finalised. The finalised list includes 300 South African and 241 overseas cricketers. A reported 13 cricketers registered themselves for the SA20 2026 Auction; however, none of them made the cut.
Indian Players who Registered for SA20 2026 Auction
The players who registered for the SA 20 2026 auction include: Piyush Chawla, Siddharth Kaul, Ankit Rajpoot, Sarul Kanwar, Anureet Singh Kathuria, Ansari Marouf, Mahesh Ahir, Nikhil Jaga, Mohamed Faidh, KS Naveen, Imran Khan, Venkatesh Galipelly, and Atul Yadav.
As of now, Dinesh Karthik is the only Indian cricketer to have featured in the SA20 League for Paarl Royals during the 2024-25 season. However, despite his previous endeavor, he did not make the shortlist this year.
The two-time World Cup winner Piyush Chawla is another veteran who did not make the cut. Ravichandran Ashwin is another name many expected to make the shortlist following his retirement from the IPL and Indian cricket. However, it is reported that the off-spinner has instead opted to place himself in the ILT20 auction pool. The ILT20 is scheduled around the same time as Season 4 of the SA20.
Also read: Top 5 Formula 1 Teams with the Most Constructors’ Championships in History
BCCI Policy Restricts Active Indian Talent From Featuring In SA20
The BCCI does not allow active Indian male cricketers to participate in the SA20, as well as in other overseas leagues. In order to play at such an international stage, the player would have to retire from Indian cricket at all levels, change nationality, or obtain an NOC from the apex cricket board of India. Notably, all the 13 names of Indian players registered for the auction have all retired and play no part in Indian cricket.
When Will the SA20 2026 Start?
The latest edition of South Africa’s franchise league is set to commence on December 26, 2025. The tournament will continue till the next year and will conclude on January 25, 2026. The auction will take place in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 September, and will be broadcast live on JioHotstar in India.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
