SA20 Mini-Auction: JSK Secure Pollard and Rowles, MICT Add Hetmyer and Boult

MICT had the chance to wait and bid for Pollard, who has appeared in every Mumbai Indians franchise worldwide, but instead chose to sign Shimron Hetmyer as their finisher—the first name called in bidding. Both players were purchased for R1.5 million.

MICT also spent R1.5 million to bring back New Zealand left‑arm seamer Trent Boult, a powerplay specialist who has represented their sides in the IPL, MLC, SA20, ILT20 and The Hundred.

The headline signing of the mini‑auction was 18‑year‑old all‑rounder Jason Rowles, who attracted a bid of R2.9 million after a fierce bidding war with MICT. JSK secured his services. Rowles, a left‑hand batsman who can bowl left‑arm spin, topped the run‑charts at the recent Under‑19 World Cup with 280 runs in five innings (average 70, strike rate 112) and followed that with a double‑hundred in a Youth Test at Hove in July.

“Jason Rowles was the highlight of the day for me. Seeing an 18‑year‑old spark the biggest bidding battle of the day tells you how much the franchises believe in the next generation,” said SA20 league commissioner Graeme Smith. “It was only last year that he was playing in the Final of the rain‑affected Schools SA20; today he joins a squad stacked with some of the world’s best T20 talent. That’s the pathway we set out to build, and it’s encouraging to see it working.”

Pollard, who is just one run shy of becoming the second batter after Jos Buttler to reach 15,000 T20 runs, will add more power to the JSK middle order, which already includes Donovan Ferreira and Dian Forrester—both bringing IPL experience to the SA20.

Trent Boult will turn out for MICT•BCCI

All‑rounder Wiaan Mulder also attracted interest from both JSK, for whom he played last season, and MICT, eventually joining MICT for R2.6 million. South Africa‑born USA wicket‑keeper‑batter Andries Gous was secured for R1 million, Zimbabwe’s quick Blessing Muzarabani for R500 000, and local all‑rounder Dayyaan Galiem for R375 000. JSK have named Jamie Overton as their wildcard player.

Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape bolstered their seam attack with the addition of powerplay specialist Craig Overton (R1.5 million) and left‑arm quick Nandre Burger (R500 000). Burger will join Marco Jansen, Adam Milne, Anrich Nortje and Lutho Sipamla in a formidable pace unit.

Pretoria Capitals picked Rassie van der Dussen for R500 000 after he went unsold in the marquee set, and Temba Bavuma as their final auction purchase for R200 000. The Capitals also added the West Indian duo Keemo Paul and Ackeem Auguste during the nomination round.

Having already completed their squads ahead of the auction, Paarl Royals and Durban’s Super Giants did not take part in the event on Wednesday.

The fifth season of the SA20 will get under way on 17 January 2027 in Gqeberha, culminating with the final on 21 February 2027 in Cape Town. The opening match at St George’s Park will be a repeat of the 2026 final between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals.

Teenager Jason Rowles had a huge payday•ICC/Getty Images

Squads

Joburg Super Kings

Retained players: Jarren Bacher, Matthew de Villiers, Leus du Plooy, Donovan Ferreira, Dian Forrester, Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Duan Jansen, Rilee Rossouw, Janco Smit, Prenelan Subrayen, James Vince (England)

Pre-signings: Jason Holder (West Indies), Jamie Overton (England, wildcard)

Auction signings: Faf du Plessis (R 2,700,000), Jason Rowles (R 2,900,000), Dayyaan Galiem (R 375,000), Kieron Pollard (R 1,500,000), Blessing Muzarabani (R 500,000) and Andries Gous (R 1,000,000)

MI Cape Town

Retained players: Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Tristan Luus – U23, Dane Piedt, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Kagiso Rabada (Wildcard), Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tiaan van Vuuren

Pre-signings: Will Jacks (England)

Auction signings: Shimron Hetmyer (R 1,500,000), Wiaan Mulder (R 2,600,000), Trent Boult (R 1,500,000), Daniel Smith (R 200,000), Lehan Botha (R 200,000) and Oliver Whitehead (R 200,000)

Pretoria Capitals

Retained players: Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Wihan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj, Bayanda Majola – U23, Lungi Ngidi, Bryce Parsons, Gideon Peters, Andre Russell (West Indies – Wildcard), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Lizaad Williams, Codi Yusuf

Pre-signings: Phil Salt (England), Matthew Short (Australia)

Auction signings: Rassie van der Dussen (R 500,000), Keemo Paul (R 200,000), Ackeem Auguste (R 200,000), Josh Breed (R 200,000), Temba Bavuma (R 200,000)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Retained players: Matthew Breetzke, James Coles (England), Quinton de Kock, Lewis Gregory (England), Jordan Hermann, Marco Jansen (Wildcard), JP King – U23, JP King, Patrick Kruger, Adam Milne (New Zealand), Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell van Buuren

Pre-signings: Mitch Marsh (Australia), Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh)

Auction signings: Nandre Burger (R 500,000), Craig Overton (R 1,500,000)

Paarl Royals

Retained players: Ottneil Baartman, JJ Basson – U23, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Dan Lawrence (England), Keagan Lion-Cachet, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena – U23, Gudakesh Motie (West Indies), Delano Potgieter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius – U23, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Thomas Rew (England), Asa Tribe (Jersey), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Kyle Verreynne, Hardus Viljoen

Pre-signings: Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), Joe Root (Wildcard)

Auction signings: None

Durban’s Super Giants

Retained players: Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Eathan Bosch, Jos Buttler (England), Gerald Coetzee, Devon Conway (New Zealand), Tony de Zorzi, Daryn Dupavillon, Simon Harmer, Evan Jones, Heinrich Klaasen (Wildcard), Liam Livingstone (England), Kwena Maphaka – U23, Aiden Markram, Sunil Narine (West Indies), Andile Simelane – U23, Kyle Simmonds, Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

Pre-signings: Sam Curran (England)

Auction signings: None

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