A number of English players including Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali and Tom Banton are set to participate in the upcoming South African SA20 League which kicks off in January of next year. Buttler was the highest run-scorer in the inaugural tournament which was held earlier this year, and will once again be playing for the Paarl Royals.
Bowler Sam Cook will join Moeen Ali at the Joburg Super Kings. Mumbai Indians Cape Town will keep hold of Curran, Livingstone and Banton. Other acquisitions include Reece Topley going to the Durban Super Giants, while Dawid Malan and Liam Dawson join Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
SA20 is set to start in January of 2024 and will coincide with England’s test tour of India. It is not currently expected to interfere with the SA20 league, however, with many of the signed players not regulars in England’s test team. Buttler, Curran, Banton and Livingstone are not known regulars, with Ali only coming out of retirement for the recent Ashes series and not expected to continue for much longer with test cricket.
The inaugural SA20 tournament proved to be a huge boost for cricketing in South Africa, reaching new commercial and rating heights. SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith is optimistic about the league and hopes it will “go from strength to strength over the next number of years”.
