South African cricket legend Allan Donald is thrilled about the exciting talent pool emerging from the Proteas’ young stars. He says it’s going to make life tough for head coach Shukri Conrad when picking the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup tour to the subcontinent.
Remember how South Africa came so close in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, only to fall short against India? Well, after ending their long ICC title drought by beating Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship final, the Proteas are gearing up to dominate. With a fresh, young core leading the charge, they’re set to shake up the cricketing world.
Ahead of SA20 Season 4, Donald opened up in a special chat organized by the league. He shared his thoughts on team tactics, big-name signings, and the rising players everyone should keep an eye on.
“That’s just what South African cricket needs,” Donald said. He highlighted stars like Dewald Brevis, who’s already locked in his spot. Lhuan-dre Pretorius is getting plenty of game time, Wiaan Mulder is making his mark, and Connor Esterhuizen has burst onto the scene, basically shouting, ‘Pick me!’ Then there’s Kwena Maphaka, who’s already in the mix, Andile Simelane who’s tasted international action, and others like Ottneil Baartman—who’s pushing for a comeback—and Kyle Verreynne, who’s grabbing his chance to board that World Cup flight.
Donald loves how the SA20 league is accelerating this growth. “It’s creating real competition, and that’s perfect. The league is fast-tracking these young cricketers, giving them exposure like never before. Now, everyone’s knocking on Shukri Conrad’s door, saying, ‘I want in!’ It’s making his job way harder—and that’s a good problem for South Africa.”
He added, “The league is growing fast, crowds are packing the stands, and I’m so proud of how it’s raising the bar. These young talents are coming through quicker than ever. This is exactly what we want for Proteas cricket.”
At the SA20 Season 4 auction, teams splashed out a whopping R116.9 million (about Rs 59 crore) on South African players. That included R22.8 million (around INR 11.4 crore) for 12 players under 23. The spotlight fell on 22-year-old Dewald Brevis, who fetched a record R16.5 million to become the most expensive buy in SA20 history.
With the SA20 league fueling this talent boom, South Africa’s T20 World Cup preparations look brighter than ever. Fans, get ready for some thrilling cricket ahead!
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