Joburg Super Kings sign record-priced teenager Jason Rowles for R2.9 million

SA20 auction: JSK sign Pollard, Rowles and du Plessis

Joburg Super Kings secured 18-year-old allrounder Jason Rowles for R 2.9 million, making him the highest-priced player at the SA20 auction. The bidding victory came after a contest with MI Cape Town and placed a South African rookie ahead of several established international names in the auction’s price list.

Rowles will play for Joburg Super Kings in his first stint in the SA20. His purchase was also the biggest bid of the mini-auction, while JSK added Kieron Pollard and brought back Faf du Plessis after releasing him before the auction.

Rowles wins the biggest bidding battle

JSK secured Rowles after beating MI Cape Town in what was described as a fierce bidding war. The 18-year-old is a left-hand batter who can also bowl left-arm spin, and he has been identified as a rising prospect in South African cricket.

Rowles topped South Africa’s run-charts at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, scoring 280 runs in five innings at an average of 70 and a strike rate of 112. He also scored a double-hundred in a Youth Test in Hove in July.

The auction followed another notable performance from Rowles, who made 45 off 31 balls for the CSA High Performance Team against Western Province in his first professional T20 game. He had also scored a double century for the South Africa Under-19 team in a Youth Test against England Under-19 in July.

Rowles captained that side and also contributed with his left-arm spin. His performances across the Under-19 and youth levels helped make him the most expensive player at the auction, ahead of several established T20 players.

Graeme Smith, the SA20 league commissioner, said Rowles was the highlight of the auction. “Seeing an 18-year-old spark the biggest bidding battle of the day tells you how much the franchises believe in the next generation,” Smith said in a statement.

“It was only last year that he was participating in the Final of the rain Schools SA20 and today he will get to be a part of a squad consisting of some of the world's best T20 stars,” Smith said. “That's the pathway we set out to build, and it's hugely encouraging to see it working.”

The auction result came as Rowles was completing his final year at St David’s Marist Inanda, the school identified as the alma mater of South Africa’s Test captain Themba Bavuma. He was also due to write his final matric exams soon.

Rowles received his Honours Blazer and Cricketer of the Year award at St David’s Marist at almost the exact same time that he was bought at the auction.

JSK bring back du Plessis and add Pollard

JSK paid R 2.7 million to bring back Faf du Plessis after releasing him before the auction. The franchise had to stave off competition from MI Cape Town to complete the signing.

Pollard was signed by JSK for R 1.5 million. There was no rival bid from MI Cape Town for the former West Indies allrounder.

MI Cape Town had the option to wait and bid for Pollard, who has been part of all of MI’s franchises around the world, but chose Shimron Hetmyer instead. Hetmyer was the first name to come up for bidding and was signed as MICT’s finisher for R 1.5 million.

Pollard’s arrival gives JSK another established power-hitting option in their middle order. He was one run away from becoming the second batter after Jos Buttler to reach 15,000 T20 runs.

JSK’s middle order already includes Donovan Ferreira and Dian Forrester, both of whom also bring IPL experience to the SA20. The franchise’s retained-player list also includes Jarren Bacher, Matthew de Villiers, Leus du Plooy, Akeal Hosein, Duan Jansen, Rilee Rossouw, Janco Smit, Prenelan Subrayen and James Vince.

JSK had also pre-signed Jason Holder, while Jamie Overton was announced as their wildcard. Overton had previously found success with the Chennai Super Kings, JSK’s parent franchise, in the IPL.

MICT add Hetmyer, Boult and Mulder

MICT spent R 1.5 million to bring back New Zealand left-arm seamer Trent Boult. Boult has been a powerplay specialist for MICT’s teams in the IPL, MLC, SA20, ILT20 and the Hundred.

Hetmyer and Boult joined MICT at the same price as Pollard. The franchise also won the bidding for allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who had attracted interest from both MICT and JSK.

Mulder represented JSK in the previous season but eventually went to MICT for R 2.6 million. His move was the second-highest purchase of the auction after Rowles.

The MICT retained-player list includes Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks, Rashid Khan, Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Tristan Luus, Dane Piedt, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Tiaan van Vuuren. Nicholas Pooran is listed as a West Indies player, while Rashid Khan is listed as an Afghanistan player.

MICT also retained Rabada as a wildcard. Its auction signings, apart from Hetmyer, Boult and Mulder, were Daniel Smith, Lehan Botha and Oliver Whitehead, each for R 200,000.

Four teams competed for vacant spots

The auction was held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, with four of the six teams bidding to fill vacant squad spots. Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape took part in the bidding.

Paarl Royals and Durban’s Super Giants had finalised their squads before the auction and did not participate in the event. Their absence left the four other teams to compete for the available players.

The marquee names on the auction list included du Plessis, Boult, Hetmyer and Pollard. Rowles, however, commanded the highest bid, with his R 2.9 million price exceeding the amounts paid for the established international stars.

The main auction price list placed du Plessis at R 2.7 million, Mulder at R 2.6 million, Hetmyer, Boult, Craig Overton and Pollard at R 1.5 million each, and Andries Gous at R 1 million. Rassie van der Dussen, Blessing Muzarabani and Nandre Burger were listed at R 500,000 each.

Capitals pick van der Dussen and Bavuma

Pretoria Capitals signed Rassie van der Dussen for R 500,000 after the batter went unsold in the marquee set. Temba Bavuma was the last pick in the auction and joined Capitals for R 200,000.

The Capitals also picked the West Indian pair of Keemo Paul and Ackeem Auguste in the nomination round. Their retained players include Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Wihan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj, Bayanda Majola, Lungi Ngidi, Bryce Parsons, Gideon Peters, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Lizaad Williams and Codi Yusuf.

Bayanda Majola is listed as an Under-23 player, while Andre Russell is listed as a West Indies wildcard. Capitals had also pre-signed Phil Salt and Matthew Short before the auction.

The auction signings listed for Capitals were van der Dussen, Paul, Auguste, Josh Breed and Bavuma. Paul, Auguste, Breed and Bavuma were each listed at R 200,000, while van der Dussen was listed at R 500,000.

Sunrisers strengthen their pace attack

Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape added Craig Overton and Nandre Burger to their seam attack. Overton was signed for R 1.5 million, while Burger was listed at R 500,000.

Burger is a new face at Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Overton, however, had already played six games for the franchise in the SA20.

The pair will join Marco Jansen, Adam Milne, Anrich Nortje and Lutho Sipamla in what the auction report described as a formidable pace group. The franchise’s retained players also include Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock, Jordan Hermann, Senuran Muthusamy, Tristan Stubbs and Patrick Kruger.

Sunrisers had retained James Coles, Lewis Gregory and Adam Milne as overseas players, according to the squad list. Marco Jansen was retained as a wildcard, while CJ King was listed as an Under-23 player.

The franchise had also pre-signed Mitch Marsh and Rishad Hossain. Its auction signings were Burger and Craig Overton.

The wider squad picture

JSK’s auction additions included du Plessis, Rowles, Dayyaan Galiem, Pollard, Blessing Muzarabani and Andries Gous. Gous is a South Africa-born USA wicketkeeper-batter, Muzarabani is from Zimbabwe and Galiem is a local allrounder.

JSK’s retained list includes Akeal Hosein of the West Indies and James Vince of England. Their pre-signing list includes Jason Holder of the West Indies and Jamie Overton of England.

MICT’s retained group includes Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies. The team also retained players including Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Kagiso Rabada.

The auction also saw major names move to new teams, with Mulder joining MICT after representing JSK in the previous season and van der Dussen going to Pretoria Capitals after being unsold in the marquee set. Bavuma’s selection as the last player in the auction added another established South African batter to the Capitals squad.

Season to begin in January

The fifth season of the SA20 is scheduled to begin on January 17, 2027, in Gqeberha and conclude with the final on February 21 in Cape Town. The opening match at St George’s Park will be a rematch of the 2026 season’s final between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals.

The auction has therefore set up a season featuring established T20 names such as Pollard, du Plessis, Hetmyer and Boult alongside a high-profile young addition in Rowles. For JSK, the combination of Rowles’ record bid, Pollard’s experience and du Plessis’ return forms the central outcome of the auction.

For MICT, the key additions are Hetmyer, Boult and Mulder, while Sunrisers added two seamers and Capitals reinforced their squad with van der Dussen, Bavuma and the West Indian pair of Paul and Auguste. The auction’s biggest statement, however, belonged to Rowles, whose R 2.9 million bid placed an 18-year-old at the centre of the SA20’s next season.