Dewald Brevis and Aiden Markram shattered Betway SA20 Player Auction records on Tuesday, becoming the most expensive players in the tournament’s history after a fierce bidding war in Johannesburg.
The two South African top-order batters generated massive buzz ahead of the auction and lived up to expectations when they went under the hammer of veteran auctioneer Richard Madley during the marquee sets.
Pretoria Capitals land Brevis in record-breaking deal
In a headline-grabbing move, Pretoria Capitals — with newly appointed coach and Indian cricket legend Sourav Ganguly leading the bidding — secured local favorite Brevis for a staggering R16.5 million, making him the most expensive player ever bought in an SA20 auction.
Brevis, 22, will return to Centurion after three seasons with MI Cape Town, bringing him back to his Pretoria roots for Season 4 of the SA20.
Markram snapped up for R14M as Sunrisers miss out
Just minutes earlier, Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) secured Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram for R14 million. Sunrisers Eastern Cape had tried to retain their former skipper using their Right to Match (RTM) card at R12.4 million, but DSG ultimately upped the bid by another R1.6 million.
“I’m always reluctant to talk about the numbers, but it is exciting to see the investment back into South African cricket,” said Betway SA20 League Commissioner Graeme Smith after the auction.
“The franchises have come and they’ve invested properly. You see they’re getting behind the South African players. The platform that Betway SA20 has provided has not only benefited them here, but internationally as well.”
Rising values and record spending define Season 4 auction
The previous SA20 auction record was R9.2 million for Tristan Stubbs, bought by Sunrisers Eastern Cape in 2022. This year, Joburg Super Kings came close with Wiaan Mulder (R9 million) and Nandre Burger (R6.3 million).
In total, R129.3 million was spent by the six franchises across 84 players. Of that, a significant R116.9 million went toward South African players, showcasing the league’s emphasis on local talent.
Massive investment in Under-23 talent
Notably, franchises spent R22.8 million on 12 Under-23 players. Rising teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka joined DSG for R2.3 million, while other young prospects like Janco Smit, Bayanda Majola, and JJ Bason were snapped up by Joburg Super Kings, Pretoria Capitals, and Paarl Royals respectively.
“We have had an unprecedented investment in young players,” Smith added. “Over R22 million was invested into Under-23 players — which is incredible.”
Season 4 of the Betway SA20 League promises a thrilling lineup of top-tier and emerging talent, with fans eagerly awaiting how these record-breaking investments will translate on the field.
