SA20, South Africa’s premier T20 franchise cricket league, continues to captivate audiences worldwide as it prepares for its third season. To celebrate its growing popularity and solidify its connection with Indian cricket fans, the league hosted the inaugural ‘SA20 India Day’ in Mumbai, underscoring the cultural and sporting ties between South Africa and India.

The event brought together key figures like Graeme Smith, SA20 League Commissioner; Dinesh Karthik, SA20 India Ambassador; and Mark Boucher, SA20 Ambassador. The trio discussed the league’s progress and vision to establish itself as a leading global T20 competition. Season 3 is set to begin on January 9, 2025, with the final scheduled for February 8, 2025, at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium.

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Reflecting on the league’s success, Graeme Smith emphasized India’s importance in SA20’s strategy. “India is a crucial market for us. The support from Indian fans has been phenomenal, and the involvement of six IPL franchises has elevated South African cricket to a global level,” he stated. Smith expressed optimism about the league’s continued growth, particularly in India, where it has resonated strongly with fans.

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Dinesh Karthik, the first Indian to play in SA20, shared his enthusiasm about the league’s potential. “SA20 is bridging the gap between South African and Indian cricket. Indian fans bring unmatched energy, and I’m confident the league will continue to deliver exceptional experiences,” he said.

Mark Boucher highlighted SA20’s impact on South African cricket, praising the opportunities it provides for young players. “This league has nurtured local talent and elevated the game for established players. Several SA20 players have even gone on to represent the Proteas, showcasing the league’s value,” he added.

In line with its mission to foster grassroots cricket, SA20 introduced initiatives like ‘Schools SA20’ and the Rookie Draft System. ‘Schools SA20’ aims to discover and nurture cricket talent among boys and girls across South Africa, with over 1,000 matches scheduled between September 2024 and March 2025. The Rookie Draft System, launched in Season 2, focuses on exposing young South African talent to international-level competition, ensuring strong local representation in the league.

The Mumbai event also included an interaction with budding cricketers, who received customized merchandise and photos with their favorite SA20 stars.

Rookie Draft System

A new addition in Season 2 playing regulations, and is the League’s initiative to expose more young talent to a global stage and to some of the world’s best coaches and players
The first season was a huge success, with five of the six rookies drafted being incorporated into core squads for Season 3
The Season 2 rookie draft was a significant milestone, with 80 players aged 22 or under and without prior SA20 experience going up for selection
Teams are required to include a minimum of 10 South African players in their 19-player squad, ensuring strong local representation
Each team can have a maximum of seven overseas players
Each team to include a Rookie player, who must be South African
The strong focus on grassroots has enabled the SA20 deliver stars such as Nqaba Peter and Ottniel Baartman to make it into the Proteas squad
Schools SA20
The introduction of ‘Schools SA20’ is designed to discover and nurture cricket talent among both girls and boys across South Africa
The competition will run from September 2024 to March 2025, with schools from all 16 cricket provinces competing for the coveted title of Schools SA20 champions
Over 370 boys’ school teams and more than 200 girls’ school teams will participate with over 1000 matches being played
SA20 and CSA launched a dedicated girls’ competition, which will be a key part of the Proteas’ U19 Girls team’s preparation for the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia in 2025.