South Africa’s top cricket talent, led by Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram, and a host of global stars feature in the Betway SA20 Season 4 Player Auction shortlist, announced ahead of the much-anticipated auction on 9 September 2025 in Johannesburg.
The auction will see 541 players go under the hammer — the result of a record-breaking 800+ player registrations, the highest in the league’s four-year history. The list includes 300 South African players and 241 overseas players, a testament to the growing global appeal of the Betway SA20 League.
Markram, Nortje, de Kock headline South African stars
The South African contingent is headlined by Aiden Markram, with seven other players from the recent ICC T20 World Cup final squad making the list: Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee.
The Test World Champions are also well-represented with Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Tony de Zorzi and Dane Paterson in the auction pool.
Shakib Al Hasan, James Anderson lead international legends
The league’s global reach is reflected in the inclusion of international stars such as Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s most decorated cricketer, and England’s all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson.
Shakib, aiming to become the first Bangladeshi to play in the SA20, could be joined by fellow countryman Mustafizur Rahman. The England contingent includes Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Tom Abell, Adam Rossington, Jordan Cox, and Daniel Worrall.
From Australia and New Zealand, players like D’Arcy Short and Devon Conway add further international flair to the auction list.
New U-23 segment and squad requirements
Season 4 introduces a brand-new Under-23 player segment in place of the Rookie Draft. South African prospects like Dewald Brevis, Kwena Maphaka and Andile Simelane are among those eligible for this category.
A total of 84 slots are available across the six franchises, with a combined R131 million (US$7.37 million) in purse value. Franchises must build squads of 19 players, consisting of:
- Minimum 9 South African players
- Maximum 7 international players
- 2 Under-23 South African players
- 1 Wildcard player
Live broadcast and coverage details
The auction will be broadcast live on SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa), JioHotstar (India), Sky Sports (UK) and the Betway SA20 YouTube channel. Rolling digital coverage will be available across all Betway SA20 platforms.
View the full 2025 Player Auction list and follow live updates on 9 September as the six teams finalize their squads ahead of the season kick-off on 26 December 2025.
