SA20 2025 Auction: Why Pakistani Players Are Missing Again

South Africa’s top T20 cricket league, the SA20, is preparing for its biggest player auction so far. Excitement is high among fans, but for Pakistani cricket followers, there is disappointment once again—no Pakistani players are included in the auction list.

Organizers revealed that a record 541 players will take part in the auction this year. This number was cut down from over 800 registrations, making it the largest pool of cricketers in the tournament’s four-year history. Out of these, 300 are South African players while 241 are overseas cricketers. Yet, the absence of even a single Pakistani name stands out sharply.

This exclusion has been the norm since the SA20 began. Not a single Pakistani player has ever featured in this league. The organizers have never officially explained the reason, but many cricket experts and fans believe it is linked to political tensions between Pakistan and India.

The connection becomes clearer when looking at the ownership of SA20 teams. All six franchises—MI Cape Town, Joburg Super Kings, Durban’s Super Giants, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Paarl Royals, and Pretoria Capitals—are owned by groups that also run teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since Pakistani players have been barred from the IPL for more than a decade, the same policy appears to have indirectly carried over into SA20.

The contrast is striking when comparing with other global leagues. Pakistani stars are regularly seen in competitions like the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Big Bash League (BBL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), The Hundred (England), Major League Cricket (USA), and the International League T20 (ILT20) in the UAE. These tournaments do not have Indian ownership, and Pakistani players often shine as match-winners there.

For Pakistani fans, the absence in SA20 feels unfair, especially considering the country’s world-class talent. Players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan are in high demand across the cricket world. Their skills, fan following, and star power could have added immense value to the SA20 brand. Many supporters believe that until Pakistani cricketers are welcomed, the league will always miss a chance to attract a truly global audience.

The upcoming auction, scheduled for September 9 in Johannesburg, will see franchises spend around R131 million (US$7.37 million) to secure talent for their squads. Each team will build a roster of 19 players, with rules requiring at least nine South African locals, up to seven international players, and two under-23 South Africans.

The tournament itself will begin on December 26, 2025, promising high-quality cricket and strong competition. But despite the grand setup, the SA20 still faces a major question: can it really become a worldwide cricket brand without including Pakistani superstars? For now, the answer remains uncertain, and fans in Pakistan continue to hope for a breakthrough in future seasons.

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