Cricholic
SA20 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most strategic and explosive editions yet. With retentions finalized and wildcards declared, teams are gearing up for the highly anticipated auction on September 9. Notably, each team could retain up to six players—three domestic, three overseas—along with a wildcard option, which could be either local or international. This added flexibility has introduced fascinating twists across the squads.
🔵 MI Cape Town’s Calculated Retention for SA20 2026
MI Cape Town, the reigning champions, have doubled down on continuity. They retained domestic performers Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, and Corbin Bosch, while holding onto their overseas match-winners Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, and Nicholas Pooran. Interestingly, their wildcard pick is Kagiso Rabada, further bolstering their pace stocks.
Although they now possess the lowest purse (USD 654K) going into the auction, their core unit looks settled. Thus, they may only need minor tweaks to stay dominant.
🟧 Sunrisers’ Surprising Strategy in SA20 2026
Sunrisers Eastern Cape created ripples by releasing skipper Aiden Markram, a bold call considering his previous performances. Instead, they opted for Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen as local retentions, while also naming Jansen as their wildcard.
Meanwhile, their overseas trio—Jonny Bairstow, Adam Milne, and AM Ghazanfar—adds balance and international experience. As a result, they carry a USD 1.2M purse, offering them more firepower during the auction.
🔄 Capitals & Super Giants Revamp for SA20 2026
Both Pretoria Capitals and Durban Super Giants are heading into SA20 2026 with revamped blueprints.
The Capitals have made a radical choice by not retaining any local players. Nevertheless, their overseas unit—Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, and wildcard Andre Russell—looks dangerous. Consequently, they boast the biggest purse (USD 1.8M), allowing for aggressive auction plays.
In contrast, Durban Super Giants retained only Heinrich Klaasen locally, who also serves as their wildcard. Their overseas selections—Sunil Narine, Jos Buttler, and Noor Ahmad—bring explosive T20 capabilities. Therefore, with USD 1.6M available, they can still make significant squad upgrades.
🟨 Royals & Joburg Bet on Stability in SA20 2026
Joburg Super Kings have leaned into experience by retaining Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira (wildcard). Furthermore, they’ve backed overseas players like James Vince, Akeal Hosein, and Richard Gleeson, resulting in a balanced yet familiar core. Their USD 1.2M purse gives room for depth buys.
Likewise, Paarl Royals opted for continuity. They retained David Miller, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, and wildcard Rubin Hermann, while also keeping overseas duo Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Sikandar Raza. Though their auction purse is just USD 825K, their established nucleus is expected to deliver.
👀 SA20 2026 Auction: What to Watch
The SA20 2026 auction promises intense bidding battles.
- To begin with, marquee names like Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, and Anrich Nortje headline the pool.
- Additionally, emerging stars like Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka are expected to attract fierce interest.
- Moreover, the return of seasoned campaigners like Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, and Keshav Maharaj will spice up the dynamics.
Given that each team must complete an 18-player squad, every bid could make or break their season.
📊 SA20 2026 Retentions & Purse Summary
🔵 MI Cape Town
💰 Purse: USD 654K
Domestic: Rickelton, Linde, Bosch, Rabada (Wildcard)
Overseas: Rashid Khan, Boult, Pooran
🟧 Sunrisers Eastern Cape
💰 Purse: USD 1.2M
Domestic: Stubbs, Jansen (Wildcard)
Overseas: Bairstow, Milne, Ghazanfar
🟨 Joburg Super Kings
💰 Purse: USD 1.2M
Domestic: Faf du Plessis, Ferreira (Wildcard)
Overseas: Vince, Hosein, Gleeson
🟪 Paarl Royals
💰 Purse: USD 825K
Domestic: Miller, Pretorius, Fortuin, Hermann (Wildcard)
Overseas: Mujeeb, Raza
🟦 Pretoria Capitals
💰 Purse: USD 1.8M
Domestic: None
Overseas: Jacks, Rutherford, Russell (Wildcard)
🟩 Durban Super Giants
💰 Purse: USD 1.6M
Domestic: Klaasen (Wildcard)
Overseas: Narine, Buttler, Noor Ahmad
