Temba Bavuma went for R200,000 at the SA20 auction, and an 18-year-old schoolboy cost Joburg Super Kings R2.9 million
Jason Rowles was the top buy of the Season 5 auction in Johannesburg, Kieron Pollard joined the CSK-owned franchise, and South Africa’s Test captain was the last name called.
Oct 7, 2026
The most expensive player at Wednesday’s SA20 auction in Johannesburg is still at school. Joburg Super Kings paid R2.9 million for Jason Rowles, an 18-year-old all-rounder from the South Africa Under-19 side, after a bidding war with MI Cape Town.
Temba Bavuma, who captains South Africa in Tests and ODIs and led them to the 2023-25 World Test Championship title, was the last player sold. Pretoria Capitals took him for R200,000, his base price. A year ago, at the Season 4 auction, nobody bid for him at all.
Pollard swaps one IPL owner for the other
Kieron Pollard played all 13 of his IPL seasons for Mumbai Indians, from 2010 to 2022, and his SA20 cricket had been for MI Cape Town. Now he goes to Joburg Super Kings, who are owned by the Chennai Super Kings group. They got him for R1.5 million and nobody bid against them.
JSK also brought back Faf du Plessis, whom they had released, for R2.7 million. Andries Gous, the USA batter, cost R1 million, Blessing Muzarabani R500,000 and Dayyaan Galiem R375,000. That filled their six auction places. They still have a wildcard player to sign, and that will happen away from the auction table.
MI Cape Town keep Boult and add Mulder
MI Cape Town’s first buy of the night was also the first player sold: Shimron Hetmyer for R1.5 million, for what will be his first SA20 season. Wiaan Mulder cost them R2.6 million, and Trent Boult went back to them for R1.5 million unopposed. Daniel Smith, Lehan Botha and 21-year-old Oliver Whitehead joined for R200,000 each.
Rassie van der Dussen went unsold when his name first came up and then went to Pretoria for R500,000 later in the evening. The Capitals’ other signings, Keemo Paul, Josh Breed and Ackeem Auguste, all cost R200,000. Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the defending champions with three titles, needed only two players. They took Nandre Burger and paid R1.5 million for Craig Overton.
None of it came close to the record. That still belongs to Dewald Brevis, who went to Pretoria for R16.5 million at last year’s auction. Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals sat this one out with full squads. Season 5 starts on 17 January.