The second season of South Africa’s top T20 competition, SA20 is all ready to begin on January 10, with defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape taking on Joburg Super Kings at Gqeberha. The debut edition of SA20 was a tremendous hit.
Get ready for the return of the SA20 League, offering even larger thrills this time around. Set to kick underway on January 11, 2024, fans are geared up for a thrilling rematch. The game will see the Joburg Super Kings (JSK) taking on the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), rekindling the excitement from last season’s semi-final showdown.
This highly anticipated face-off is expected to occur at the renowned Wanderers Stadium. The 2024 SA20 edition will finish with an incredible total of 34 matches, thanks to the introduction of an innovative playoff system. Fans are anxiously marking their calendars for February 10, the date of the grand final.
Both franchises aren’t leaving anything to chance. They’ve kept their core team members, although they have their sights on the mini-auction slated on September 27 to further bolster their teams.
Reflecting on the league’s maiden season, there was stiff competition from the UAE-based International League T20 (ILT20). As we step towards 2024, this competition stays untouched. ILT20 is gearing up to commence its second season just two days after SA20, on January 13, 2024.
The SA20’s structure basically remains the same. The six teams will face each other twice in a round-robin style. However, a big change is on the horizon. Departing from the usual semi-finals, a unique playoff structure grabs the spotlight.
As the league stage closes, the top two teams will square off in Qualifier 1, while the third and fourth teams will compete in the Eliminator match. The champion of the first Qualifier ensures a ticket in the finals, while the runner-up gets another shot by meeting the winner of the Eliminator in the second Qualifier of the playoffs. The successful squad from this match will earn a berth in the finals.
The governing council has also confirmed that double-header matches will solely occur on Sundays. These matches will start at 3 pm local time, permitting easier attendance for fans. Meanwhile, the auction is set to unravel on September 27. All six teams have already submitted their lists of retained players, and the scouting process is already started.
South Africa’s International Tour to New Zealand in Dilemma
Similar to the previous year, SA20 is likely to collide with South Africa’s international cricket schedule once more. Their Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to take off on February 4th, while the tournament’s final match is slated for February 10th.
Cricket South Africa had recently stated their intention to examine the prospect of rescheduling the series with New Zealand. However, no formal confirmation has been made at this moment.
The New Zealand Cricket Broad had already made clear that shifting the dates would offer problems, considering their closely packed cricket calendar.
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