South Africa’s premier T20 league, the SA20, is preparing for its largest-ever player auction, but Pakistani fans will once again see no local stars included.
Organizers revealed a record 541 players—300 South Africans and 241 overseas—made the final auction shortlist from over 800 registrations. Yet, no Pakistani cricketers are in contention, continuing a trend since the league’s inception. While organizers haven’t publicly explained the omission, it is widely believed to stem from political tensions between Pakistan and India.
All six SA20 franchises—MI Cape Town, Joburg Super Kings, Durban’s Super Giants, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Paarl Royals, and Pretoria Capitals—are owned by IPL groups, another league that excludes Pakistani players. Pakistani cricketers, however, are prominently featured in other global leagues like the Caribbean Premier League, Big Bash, Bangladesh Premier League, The Hundred, Major League Cricket, and ILT20.
Fans have noticed the absence of stars like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan, raising questions about whether future SA20 seasons will include Pakistani representation.
The auction on September 9 in Johannesburg will fill 84 slots with a combined spend of R131 million (US$7.37m). Squads will have 19 players each, including at least nine locals, up to seven internationals, and two under-23 South Africans.
The tournament starts on December 26, 2025, but until Pakistani players join, SA20 may struggle to achieve the global recognition it seeks.
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