The fourth season of South Africa's premier T20 league, the SA20, is set to commence on Friday, December 26, 2025. This edition marks a significant shift in leadership across several franchises, with a blend of seasoned campaigners and a fresh local skipper taking charge.
New Leadership and Local Flavour Take Centre Stage
Among the six captains announced, only one will be undertaking the role for the first time. Tristan Stubbs, the 25-year-old batter born in Gqeberha, has been handed the captaincy of the two-time champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC). This move comes after former skipper Aiden Markram's high-profile move to Durban's Super Giants for a whopping R14 million.
Stubbs, a local boy, steps into a squad featuring experienced internationals like Jonny Bairstow and Quinton de Kock. He emphasised a philosophy of enjoyment and hard competition for his team. "We've had three pretty successful seasons under Aiden. So the Sunrisers, as a team, has a mandate to enjoy the month, play as hard as you can," Stubbs stated in the JioStar Press Room.
He has issued a challenge to the local contingent in the SEC squad, which includes Matthew Breetzke, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, and Marco Jansen. "One challenge I have for the local boys is: let's really make sure we show the overseas boys what South Africa is all about," Stubbs said in a franchise video.
A Crucial Prologue to the T20 World Cup
The timing of the SA20 is particularly strategic. Starting within a fortnight of the T20 World Cup's conclusion, and ending just days before the next global tournament begins in India and Sri Lanka on February 7, 2026, it serves as vital preparation. South Africa's first World Cup match is less than two weeks after the SA20 final on January 25, 2026.
South Africa's T20I captain, Aiden Markram, who will lead Durban's Super Giants, sees the value but urges focus. "It's great that we'll be playing T20 cricket literally up until days before the World Cup starting. But I don't think you want to be putting too much energy into your SA20 teams and asking guys to worry about the World Cup," Markram explained. He stressed treating the two events separately to maintain enjoyment and intensity during the SA20.
Kagiso Rabada of defending champions MI Cape Town echoed this sentiment, highlighting the tournament's role in regaining T20 rhythm. "It’s a fantastic opportunity to get games under your belt and get used to the flow of T20 cricket. We haven’t really played much T20 cricket this year," said Rabada, who returns from a rib injury.
Captains, Squads, and Stubbs's Point to Prove
The captaincy lineup for SA20 Season 4 features a who's who of South African and international cricket:
- Durban’s Super Giants (Kingsmead): Captain - Aiden Markram. Squad includes Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock.
- Joburg Super Kings (Wanderers): Captain - Faf du Plessis. Squad includes Reece Topley, Imran Tahir, Gerald Coetzee.
- MI Cape Town (Newlands): Captain - Rashid Khan. Squad includes Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Liam Livingstone.
- Paarl Royals (Boland Park): Captain - David Miller. Squad includes Jos Buttler, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Willey.
- Pretoria Capitals (SuperSport Park): Captain - Keshav Maharaj. Squad includes Phil Salt, Anrich Nortje, Adil Rashid.
- Sunrisers Eastern Cape (St George's Park): Captain - Tristan Stubbs. Squad includes Marco Jansen, Ottniel Baartman, Tom Abell.
For new SEC captain Tristan Stubbs, this season is a dual challenge. After a stellar 2024 where he was SEC's leading run-scorer and shone for the Proteas across formats, 2025 saw a dip in his numbers. He has shown recent signs of form with scores of 76 against Pakistan and 94 against India in Tests, which he and the national selectors will hope translates into T20 success ahead of the World Cup.
The SA20 Season 4 promises a month of high-octane cricket, serving as both premier domestic entertainment and a crucial tuning exercise for the impending T20 World Cup, with all action broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and JioCinema in India.
