The buzz around the SA20 Auction 2026 is starting to rise as 541 players from all around the world will be up for auction on September 9, 2025. This year’s auction features a great mix of international star power, new talent, and veterans seeking to establish themselves in South Africa’s top T20 league.
James Anderson Back in T20 Limelight at SA20 Auction
One of the biggest surprises on the auction list is England’s James Anderson, who, at 43, has put his name forward after a decade-long absence from the shortest format.
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Anderson recently made a T20 comeback with Lancashire in the T20 Blast, followed by a stint with Manchester Originals in The Hundred. He headlines a strong English contingent of 97 players, which also includes:
Moeen Ali
Alex Hales
Tom Abell (Player of the Match, SA20 2024 Final)
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Head Bangladesh’s Charge
Two of the country’s most seasoned cricketers from Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, will lead a list of 14 players in the SA20 2026 auction list. Both have vast international T20 experience and are likely to generate significant interest.
Australia’s Thin Representation due to BBL Conflict
Because of the conflict with the Big Bash League (BBL), Australia’s team in the SA20 Auction 2026 is restricted to only two players:
D’Arcy Short
Peter Hatzoglou
The fixture clash is likely to affect their availability, but the players are veteran T20 performers who may be worth their money for SA20 franchises.
Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee Makes the Cut
A significant addition from the Associate nations is Dipendra Singh Airee the sole Nepalese cricketer in the bidding pool. Airee’s all-round abilities and recent performances on the international stage have put him in the limelight.
South African Stars and Local Talent Dominate the List
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No surprise there the biggest contingent of players is from the host country. 300 South African players feature in the auction list, some of the country’s best T20 stars:
Aiden Markram (went under retention by Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
Anrich Nortje
Quinton de Kock
Keshav Maharaj
Tabraiz Shamsi
Gerald Coetzee
All these players were included in the team that went to the T20 World Cup 2024 Final, giving the auction prestige and quality.
SA20 Auction 2026: Team Budgets and Slot Availability
241 overseas players will be auctioned for only 25 overseas spots, and thus competition will be very intense. While the 300 local South African players will battle it out for 59 domestic spots up for grabs in the six franchises.
SA20 Auction 2026 purse of teams
Pretoria Capitals
Purse: R32.5 million (approximately USD 1.86 million)
Slots to Fill: 13 (5 overseas)
MI Cape Town
Purse: R11.5 million (around USD 0.65 million)
Slots to Fill: 12 (4 overseas)
All sides have to construct 19-player units, at least two of whom have to be Under-23 players, in order to prioritize the development of young players.
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