With the SA20 Season 4 grabbing everyone’s attention, league commissioner and ex-South Africa captain Graeme Smith said he would love to see Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) join the tournament in the future.
SA20 has often been called South Africa’s version of the IPL. Many of its teams are owned by IPL investors, with familiar names like Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Durban Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals, and Paarl Royals. This mix of South African talent and IPL-style branding has made the league hugely popular, especially among Indian fans.
But one team is missing — RCB.
With one of the most passionate fan bases in world cricket, RCB finally won their first IPL title in 18 years earlier this year. The franchise also has strong South African links through stars like AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis, making their absence in SA20 a talking point.
Smith admitted he would welcome RCB into the competition:
“Even when I played for South Africa, it was amazing to see India’s love for the game and how they got behind RCB. I’m sure the celebrations are still continuing after this victory. If we expand in the future, to have an RCB franchise would be incredible. They are one of the strongest franchises in the global game with such a passionate fan base.”
Smith said the league may look at adding new teams after Season 5, especially with the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia expected to boost cricket in the region.
Brevis Breaks the Bank at Auction
The auctions themselves brought big headlines. Young batting star Dewald Brevis, often called “Baby AB” for his similarity to AB de Villiers, became the most expensive player in SA20 history. He was bought by Pretoria Capitals for R16.5 million (₹8.31 crore approx.).
Just before that, Durban’s Super Giants had set a new record by signing captain Aiden Markram for R14 million. But a fierce bidding war between Pretoria Capitals and Joburg Super Kings pushed Brevis’ price even higher, with JSK stopping at R16.4 million.
Brevis’ value has soared after his explosive performances, including a strong stint with Chennai Super Kings earlier this year. Pretoria coach Sourav Ganguly was delighted to land him, especially since Delhi Capitals — Pretoria’s IPL sister franchise — had also been keen.
In another notable deal, veteran spinner Imran Tahir, now 46, was signed by Joburg Super Kings while England pace legend James Anderson went unsold.
(with agency inputs)
