The third season of South Africa‘s SA20 tournament will take place from January 9 to February 8, 2025. This 34-game competition, featuring six teams, is scheduled to overlap partially or entirely with other prominent T20 leagues such as Australia‘s Big Bash League, the ILT20 in the UAE, and the BPL in Bangladesh, adding to the busy December-February period for global T20 cricket.
“Following two successful seasons, our plan is to continue to own the South African summer and provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy some of the biggest names in world cricket, whether in packed stadiums or via the global broadcast,” stated Graeme Smith, the SA20 commissioner, in a press release. “Our fixtures, auction, and player announcements will be revealed over the coming months, and planning is already fully in motion. We can’t wait to bring another incredible sport and entertainment event to life for players and fans.”
With the SA20 concluding on February 8, the window for a proposed ODI tri-series in Pakistan, involving South Africa and New Zealand, could be tight. The dates for this series and the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, also slated for February 2025, have yet to be officially announced.
Previously, the SA20 clashed with South Africa’s proposed Test tour of New Zealand, leading Cricket South Africa (CSA) to prioritize the franchise competition by sending a second-string squad for the away tour. In 2023, during the inaugural season, CSA withdrew from a three-game ODI series in Australia that coincided with the SA20, forfeiting the chance to earn 30 points in the World Cup Super League table. This decision temporarily jeopardized their qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup, although they ultimately qualified comfortably.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape, owned by India‘s Sun Group, which also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has won both previous seasons of SA20. They will aim for a hat-trick of titles in 2025, facing competition from last season’s runners-up Durban’s Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, and Paarl Royals.
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