With the excitement for the fifth edition of the SA20 league building up, all six franchises have confirmed their pre-auction retentions ahead of the upcoming players auction.

Among notable additions are T20 captains Mitchell Marsh, Sam Curran, alongside Joe Root, Jason Holder and Phil Salt.

Only Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals have completed their 19-player squads, while the remaining franchises have to fill their void ahead of the season.

Mitchell Marsh, who leads the Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred, is set to make his SA20 debut for Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

He will be joining a strong batting lineup including Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, and Tristan Stubbs.

Sam Curran, who played for MI Cape Town, will represent Durban’s Super Giants along with Jos Buttler.

On the other hand, Joe Root returns to Paarl Royals, joining Lhuan-dre Pretorisu at Boland Park. On the other hand, Pretoria Capitals have strengthened their squad by signing Phil Salt and Australian Matt Short, who are currently open together for Welsh Fire in The Hundred 2026.

They have also added Dewald Brevis, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell and Connor Esterhuizen.

Will Jacks has moved from Capitals to MI Cape Town, completing the trio of MI Teams in the league.

SA20 League Commissioner Graeme Smith said, “Season 5 is shaping up to be our strongest yet. Bringing in a player of Mitchell Marsh’s calibre alongside the class of Joe Root, Sam Curran, and Phil Salt shows the growing pull of our league on the global stage. What excites me most is seeing that quality alongside South Africa’s international and domestic stars at the peak of their powers.”

“The franchises head into the auction with the majority of their squads already locked in, which speaks volumes about the stability and consistency we have built.

This sets us up for a highly competitive Season 5.”

On the other hand, MLC winning captain Jason Holder will be joining Joburg Super Kings, aiming to replace Faf du Plessis, who parted ways with the franchise.

England wk-batter Jonny Bairstow, Trent Boult, Rassie van der Dussen and Kieron Pollard are the players departed.

Wiaan Mulder and Nandre Burger will be entering the auction pool while Super Kings and MI Cape Town will be the teams to fill in their squads, who need to recruit seven and six players, respectively.

All six franchises have completed their overseas pre-signings, with the Super Kings eligible for a wildcard pick.

The fifth season of the SA20 is set to begin on January 17, featuring a clash between the Sunrisers and Capitals. The tournament will conclude with the final at Newlands.