Johannesburg, Sep 1 (IANS) South Africa’s leading cricketers Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, and a host of international stars will go under the hammer when the SA20 season four player auction takes place in Johannesburg on September 9.

With more than 500 players shortlisted for the auction, the six franchises will finalise their 19-member squads ahead of the tournament, which begins on December 26. In a statement on Monday, SA20 announced that it received a record 800-plus player registrations—the highest in its four-year history—before the list was reduced to 541 following franchise reviews.

The final player auction pool comprises 300 South African cricketers and 241 overseas players. Markram, South Africa’s T20I captain, headlines the South African contingent, which also features de Kock, Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Reeza Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, and Gerald Coetzee.

Under Markram’s captaincy, Sunrisers Eastern Cape won two successive SA20 titles in 2023 and 2024, and before becoming runners-up in the 2025 season. Sunrisers, though, can use the right-to-match-card in case they re-bid on Markram in the auction.

Members of the ICC World Test Championship winning team, Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Tony de Zorzi, and Dane Paterson are also among the notable names in the player auction.

The international pool includes Bangladesh’s left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who is bidding to become the first player from his country to feature in the league, alongside compatriot, left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman.

England great James Anderson leads a strong contingent from his country and is joined by Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Tom Abell, Adam Rossington, Jordan Cox, and Daniel Worrall. Australia’s D’Arcy Short and South African-born New Zealander Devon Conway add to the mix, while a brand-new Under-23 category will allow franchises to secure two South African players aged 23 or under on the day the competition begins.

Rising stars Dewald Brevis, Kwena Maphaka, and Andile Simelane are among those eligible to be picked under the category. A total purse of 131 million rand (USD 7.37 million) is available to fill 84 slots, including for picking 25 overseas players.

Each squad must include 19 players, with a minimum of nine South Africans, seven overseas players, two Under-23 South Africans, and one Wildcard player. The auction will be broadcast live on JioHotstar in India, as well as on the tournament’s YouTube channel and social media accounts.

–IANS

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