The third edition of the SA20 came to an end on Saturday (February 8), as MI Cape Town defeated two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape to win their maiden title. Here's Wisden's team of the tournament.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius – Paarl Royals
397 runs @ 33.08, SR: 166.80, HS: 97
18-years-old and in his first SA20 season, Pretorius stole the show to finish as the league's top run-scorer. 397 is also the joint-most runs scored by a teenager in a single season of a franchise T20 league (aged 19, Tilak Varma scored the same number in the 2022 IPL).
As if this wasn't enough to warrant an inclusion, Pretorius also collected his runs at an exceptional strike rate. 97 (51), on debut, was his highest score of the season but even his quick twenties off 11 or 12 balls did exactly the job his team needed of him.
Ryan Rickelton – MI Cape Town
336 runs @ 48.00, SR: 178.72, HS: 89
After a stellar Test season, Rickelton went from strength to strength in the T20 format. After just eight in his first game, he hit double figures in each of the next seven innings, scoring over 20 in six of them. Rickelton helped himself to three half-centuries, all at strike rates in excess of 150, and his 33 (15) at the top in the final helped MICT post a stiff 181-8.
Joe Root – Paarl Royals
279 runs @ 55.80, SR: 140.20, HS: 92*
5 wickets @ 26.60, ER: 7.00, BBI: 2-32
Root opened the batting in his first SA20 season, playing the role of sheet-anchor for Paarl, alongside Pretorius. But someone who can anchor while striking at 140 warrants recognition, especially on a somewhat unhelpful home wicket. Two of Root's three fifties this season came in successful run-chases, as he took the Royals over the line himself. His part-time off-spin also came in handy on the Boland Park surface.
Aiden Markram – Sunrisers Eastern Cape
340 runs @ 37.77, SR: 130.26, HS: 82
5 wickets @ 33.80, ER: 8.04, BBI: 2-15
Markram is not the most effective basher, but for SEC he has always been a dependable accumulator. He continued to be effective this year, with the standout knock being an unbeaten 68 to drag his side to 149 after they were reduced to 14-3 and 92-6. Like Root, Markram's off-spin was also more than useful.
Dewald Brevis – MI Cape Town
291 runs @ 48.50, SR: 184.17, HS: 73*
This season, Brevis was frequently shifted up and down the order, playing everywhere from No.3 to No.7. He still came out with a stellar campaign, befitting the talent he'd shown at U19 level. His 25 sixes were the highest in the league, and his unbeaten 73 against Pretoria was a true exhibition of hitting. Brevis also had vital contributions in both knockout matches – 44* (30) in Qualifier 1 and 38 (18) in the final.
Delano Potgieter – MI Cape Town
172 runs @ 86.00, SR: 168.62, HS: 44*
6 wickets @ 10.83, ER: 9.28, BBI: 5-10
Potgieter's batting average might be a bit inflated thanks to his unbeaten innings, but those were almost always impactful – 25* (12), 44* (22), 32* (17) being the highlights. After picking up 5-10 in MICT's first game of the season, Potgieter's seam-up bowling was used just thrice – he took 1-55 in four overs across these outings. Luckily, he won't really have to bowl in our team.
George Linde – MI Cape Town
161 runs @ 40.25, SR: 153.33, HS: 48*
11 wickets @ 17.72, ER: 6.29, BBI: 3-15
Linde impressed in the recent T20I series against India, and carried his form into this season. As MICT's premier domestic all-rounder, he filled in the No.6 position to perfection, forming a devastating middle-order alongside Brevis and Potgieter. He did his primary job as a finger spinner in T20 cricket, keeping the runs down. Five of his 11 wickets came in his last three games, including a vital 2-20 in the final to help his side defend 181.
Marco Jansen – Sunrisers Eastern Cape
204 runs @ 22.66, SR: 125.15, HS: 51
19 wickets @ 18.42, ER: 7.14, BBI: 4-13
One of the most exciting up-and-coming all-rounders in world cricket, Jansen remains a more than useful No.7 in this format of the game – evidenced by his fighting 51 after coming in at 26-5 against Pretoria Capitals. He went wicketless in that game, but took 4-13 in the home game against them, on his way to 19 in all, the most in the competition.
Liam Dawson – Sunrisers Eastern Cape
14 wickets @ 16.07, ER: 6.92, BBI: 3-17
Dawson's batting was sparingly required this season, with his biggest contribution 25 (11) against Pretoria at home. It remained a useful insurance for SEC. With the ball though, he delivered an outstanding campaign, particularly in the early stages. The economy rate took a hit with 2-40 and 2-35 in two of the last three matches, but still stood at a highly respectable number.
Hardus Viljoen – Joburg Super Kings
14 wickets @ 15.85, ER: 7.92, BBI: 4-24
For the third season as a row, Viljoen was signed as a replacement player – first by Durban's Super Giants, then Pretoria Capitals and this time Joburg Super Kings. After three and two wickets in his last two campaigns, he stood out this time around. He bowled in eight innings, and not once did he go wicketless. JSK might not have made the playoffs, but Viljoen certainly did everything he could to get them there.
Kagiso Rabada – MI Cape Town
12 wickets @ 15.33, ER: 6.53, BBI: 4-25
Until the final, Rabada had a quiet season. Perhaps not as good with the white ball as he is with the red, he had still done an admirable job in keeping the runs down, but had just eight wickets to show for his performances.
In the summit clash, he delivered with 4-25, derailing SEC's chase early with the wicket of David Bedingham. He returned to get rid of their last hope in Marco Jansen, before polishing off Liam Dawson and Richard Gleeson to seal the win – and the title.
