Sunrisers host MICT in season 3 SA20 opener

Two-time Betway SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be hoping the Gqeberha rain stays away when they host the opening match of the tournament’s third edition against MI Cape Town on January 9.

The famous St George’s Park Cricket Ground, will not only host the opening encounter as one of their five home fixtures, but will also host qualifier 1 as one of three venues where the playoff matches will be staged.

Last season’s opener was also staged at the Nelson Mandela Bay venue, but rain had the last laugh as the match between the home side and the Joburg Super Kings was rained out without a ball being bowled.

The season 3 fixtures were announced at a ceremony at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Monday, attended by league commissioner Graeme Smith, players of the six competing franchises, as well as key stakeholders as excitement continues to build towards the 2025 start.

The Sunrisers will play five home matches which kick off against MICT, with visits from season 2’s beaten finalists Durban’s Super Giants on January 19, Pretoria Capitals (January 22), JSK (January 24) and finally Paarl Royals on February 1.

Their away matches include trips to the Royals (January 11), Capitals (January 14), DSG (January 17), JSK (January 26) and MICT (January 29).

The top two teams after the round robin phases will play each other in qualifier 1, followed by the eliminator between the third- and fourth-placed teams.

The loser of qualifier 1 and the winner of the eliminator will battle it out in qualifier 2, for a chance to book their place in the final, against the winner of qualifier 1.

St George’s Park in Gqeberha will host qualifier 1, while Centurion will stage both the eliminator and qualifier 2.

After hosting the inaugural Betway SA20 showpiece, the grand finale will once again return to the Wanderers in season 3 on February 8.

The event also gave rise to a new innovative partnership between SA20 and CSA, when they launched the Schools SA20, designed to discover and nurture cricket talent among both girls and boys across SA.

The girls’ competition forms a key part of the Proteas’ U19 Girls team’s preparation for the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia in 2025.

The competition will be conducted in three phases including provincial competitions between September and November 2024, the regional playoffs between January and February 2025 and the national finals over the weekend of March 13-15.

“There are a number of current Protea men and women who made their mark at a schools level,” Smith said.

“I can’t wait to see the next generation entertaining and showcasing their skills on this global stage and no doubt the next teenage cricket sensation will announce themselves to the world out of this competition.

“By bringing together the best young talent from all 16 members across the country and providing them with the opportunity to shine on a national stage, Schools SA20 is set to play a crucial role in the growth of the sport.

“For many of these young athletes, this competition will serve as a stepping stone towards professional cricket, with the potential to unearth the next generation of SA20 and Proteas Men and Women stars,” CSA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said.

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