SA20 Teams Get Six Retentions, Salary Cap Boost Ahead of Season 4 Auction

The SA20 league has announced that teams will be permitted to retain up to six players ahead of the upcoming auction for the fourth season. This decision, along with an increased salary purse, sets the stage for a highly anticipated event.

All the franchises will see an increase in the purse to USD 2.3 million © Sportzpics

The auction is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on September 9, where teams will compete to fill a minimum of 72 slots. Each franchise will now have a salary purse of USD 2.3 million, a substantial increase aimed at enhancing the league's competitiveness.

Retention Rules and Squad Composition

Each franchise can retain a maximum of six players, with no more than three being overseas players. Squads will consist of 18 members, with a cap of seven overseas players. At least 11 slots must be filled by local South African talent, ensuring a strong representation of domestic players.

A unique "wild card" signing will also be available to each team, allowing them to sign either a South African or foreign player whose league fee falls outside the standard salary cap. This offers teams additional flexibility in building their squads.

Right To Match Card Introduced

This year's auction will introduce the Right To Match (RTM) card. This strategic tool allows a franchise to match the winning bid for a player who was previously on their team, enabling them to retain that player for the 2025-26 season. The number of RTM cards available to each franchise will depend on the number of South African players they have already retained.

Focus on Under-23 Talent

In a change from previous seasons, the Rookie Draft will be discontinued. Instead, franchises are now required to include a minimum of two Under-23 players in their final 19-player squads. This shift underscores the league's commitment to developing young talent.

Excitement Builds for Season 4

"The SA20 Season 4 Player Auction is setting up to be the most exciting yet, with about 60% of player slots available for the franchises to fill," said Stephen Cook, Head of Cricket Operations at SA20. He added, "Mechanisms such as RTM cards, Wildcard players, and an increased salary cap are sure to create interesting situations for teams and will allow them to strategically select their squads. We have seen some life-changing transactions already in the past few years, and the upcoming auction should see plenty more."

Richard Madley will return as the auctioneer for the fourth season, which is set to commence on December 26, Boxing Day.