The SA20 Season 4 Auction witnessed fireworks even before the first ball of the season has been bowled. South African stars Dewald Brevis and Aiden Markram shattered all previous records, becoming the most expensive players in the tournament’s history.
The Pretoria Capitals won a heated bidding war with Joburg Super Kings to secure Brevis for a jaw-dropping R16.5 million (approx. ₹8.3 crore), eclipsing Tristan Stubbs’ 2022 record of R9.2 million. Just minutes earlier, Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram was sold to Durban’s Super Giants for R14 million (approx. ₹7 crore), despite Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s desperate attempt to retain him with a Right to Match (RTM) card.
Ganguly on Brevis: “A Game-Changer”
With Indian legend Sourav Ganguly at the Capitals’ bidding table, Pretoria made a strong statement of intent.
I hope he does well. I think he is a tremendous talent. His game has really progressed over the last one and a half year, as we saw against Australia. He’s a game-changer, and that’s exactly what you need in T20 cricket.
Ganguly also dismissed the fixation on Brevis’ staggering price tag: “I never associate performance with money. Leaving aside the R16.5 million, I believe he is a fantastic talent. He plays spin very well, which is extremely important.” For 22-year-old Brevis, who is Pretoria-born, this is also a homecoming, as he moves back to Centurion after three seasons with MI Cape Town.
Markram’s Big Move to Durban
The Proteas skipper will swap Gqeberha for Durban, after Sunrisers Eastern Cape fell short despite using their RTM card. Durban’s Super Giants eventually secured him for R14 million.
I'm always reluctant to talk about the numbers, but it is exciting to see the investment back into South African cricket. The platform that SA20 has provided has benefited players here, in other leagues, and internationally as well. The prices reflect their performances.
Record-Breaking Auction Numbers
• Total Spend: R129.3 million (approx. ₹65 crore) across 84 players
• On South African Players Alone: R116.9 million (approx. ₹59 crore)
• On U-23 Players: R22.8 million (approx. ₹11.4 crore) across 12 rising stars
Joburg Super Kings added firepower with Wiaan Mulder (R9 million) and Nandre Burger (R6.3 million), while teenage sensation Kwena Maphaka joined Durban’s Super Giants for R2.3 million.
We have had an unprecedented investment in young players. Over R22 million in the Under-23s alone – it’s incredible for South African cricket.
Other debutants include Janco Smit (Joburg Super Kings), Bayanda Majola (Pretoria Capitals) and JJ Bason (Paarl Royals).
Season 4 Awaits
With Brevis and Markram's record-breaking transfers setting the stage, SA20 Season 4 promises to be its most thrilling edition yet.
December 26, 2025 – January 25, 2026
