SA20 Auction: Teams Get Nod for Six Player Retentions Amid Salary Cap Boost

The fourth season of the SA20 is gearing up with significant changes to player acquisition rules. Franchises will be permitted to retain up to six players before the auction, scheduled for September 9 in Johannesburg.

All the franchises will see an increase in the purse to USD 2.3 million © Sportzpics

To bolster team compositions, the salary purse has been substantially increased to USD 2.3 million for each of the six franchises. This adjustment promises a competitive and strategic auction as teams vie for top talent.

Each franchise can retain a maximum of six players, including no more than three international players. This restriction ensures a blend of local and international talent within each squad.

Teams can have a maximum of seven overseas players within their 18-member squad, with at least 11 slots reserved for local players. In addition, each team has the option to sign a 'wild card player', either South African or foreign, whose league fee will fall outside the standard salary cap. This adds an element of surprise and strategic flexibility.

A new feature for this year's auction is the introduction of the Right To Match (RTM) card. This allows franchises to match the winning bid for a player who was part of their team in the previous season. The number of RTM cards available to each team will depend on how many South African players they have retained.

Notably, the Rookie Draft has been discontinued. Instead, teams must include a minimum of two Under-23 players in their final 19-player squads.

Stephen Cook, Head of Cricket Operations at SA20, commented on the upcoming auction: "The SA20 Season 4 Player Auction is setting up to be the most exciting yet, with about 60% of player slots available for the franchises to fill. Mechanisms such as RTM cards, Wildcard players and an increased salary cap are sure to create interesting situations for teams and will allow them to strategically select their squads. We have seen some life-changing transactions already in the past few years and the upcoming auction should see plenty more."

Richard Madley will continue his role as the auctioneer for the fourth season, which is scheduled to begin on December 26.