The most expensive player in the SA20 auction for next year's season is South African opener Reeza Hendricks, who was sold at a price of Rand 4.3 million. He was bought by MI Cape Town after an intense tussle with Pretoria Capitals in the bidding war. Despite the poor display during T20 World Cup earlier this year, Hendricks's recent knocks of consecutive half-centuries for Ireland in the UAE kept him in high demand. Set to be released by Joburg Super Kings ahead of the auction, Hendricks will join his Lions teammates Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton at MI Cape Town. Joburg Super Kings Sign Matheesha Pathirana as Wildcard Joburg Super Kings have announced Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana as their wildcard player for the 2025 season. A medium pacer with a slinging bowling action, Pathirana has previously had success with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. This will be the first experience in SA20 league. Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi Remain Unsold at SA20 Player Auction Two high-profile picks, Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi, did not receive bids in the auction. With only 13 spots to fill in six franchises, there was fierce competition - these two lost the battle for a contract. Durban's Super Giants Snap Up Shamar Joseph The Durban's Super Giants used their last choice to pick West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph for R 425,000. He was bought in an IPL auction by Lucknow Super Giants, his parent franchise and is playing for the CPL defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors. However, Joseph may yet find himself missing some action from the SA20 season if he is called to play for West Indies in a two-Test series against Pakistan in January 2025. The tour runs from 16 to 28 January, which is the same time that the SA20 season starts on 9 January. Also Read | Rohit Sharma Credits Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for His 'Second Birth' in Test Cricket MI Cape Town Strengthens Squad by Adding Colin Ingram and Dane Piedt MI Cape Town continued to build a solid squad with batter Colin Ingram and off-spinner Dane Piedt signing up for the tournament. Ingram was picked up at his base price of Rand 175,000 while Piedt too was snapped by the team for Rand 175,000. Piedt is one of the players who retired from South African cricket in 2020 and moved to the USA. But he has now been beckoned back into the game after South Africa's red-ball coach Shukri Conrad rang him earlier this year. For Pieter, this will be his first foray into SA20. He will directly report to coach Peterson whom he used to share a dressing room for Cobras. Sunrisers Eastern Cape Sign Richard Gleeson and Okuhle Cele Sunrisers Eastern Cape remained committed to their quest for fast bowlers, too, signing England's Richard Gleeson, for the price paid at the auction, Rand 2.3 million. One of the top fast bowlers at the auction, Gleeson bowls yorkers and bouncers with a top speed of 140kph on occasion. He is set to debut for Super Giants in SA20 2024. Dan Worrall probably would make way for Gleeson, who has committed to ILT20 2025. The last few games Gleeson has played are encouraging as he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Zim Afro T10 league with 12 wickets in eight matches. Sunrisers also roped in Dolphins fast bowler Okuhle Cele for Rand 175,000. Cele was the leading wicket-taker for Dolphins during the 2023-24 T20 Challenge with 17 wickets in 14 games. As with Gleeson, Cele can attain speeds of up to 140 kmph and will strengthen the fast bowling firepower of the Sunrisers. Joburg Super Kings Strengthen Allrounder Core Joburg Super Kings added some strength to their allrounder portfolio by signing Wihan Lubbe and Evan Jones for Rand 175,000 each. Wihan Lubbe has earlier played for Paarl Royals; this will be a new opportunity for him to make a mark for himself with the Super Kings. Towards this end, New Zealand allrounder Doug Bracewell was purchased by the Super Kings for his base price of Rand 175,000. Bracewell had been with the Super Kings in SA20 2024, taking the place of Romario Shepherd. Bracewell will not therefore play for New Zealand's Super Smash whose season coincides with that of SA20 season, after having agreed for a T20 freelancer deal. Royals and Capitals Seal Remaining Signings Royals, who had only one vacancy left, filled the same by signing wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann for Rand 175,000. While Pretoria Capitals managed Dolphins batter Marques Ackerman for Rand 800,000 and West Indies opener Evin Lewis for Rand 1.50 million. The Royals also concluded their business by signing former Super Kings player Kyle Simmonds for Rand 175,000 in the express round of the auction. Also Watch | Cricket Legend Chris Gayle Welcomes PM Modi with a Heartfelt Namaste Super Kings and Super Giants Complete Rooke Signing JP King of Warriors was recruited as rookie player by the Joburg Super Kings. King was invited for the Super Kings' trainings in the last season and has officially joined the team's books. His brother, CJ King, was drafted by the Super Giants from Durban as their rookie. Wildcard Players Finalized by All Teams With Matheesha Pathirana now signed by Joburg Super Kings, all six teams have completed the wildcard signings. In the more interesting wildcard signings, the move of the Royals, signing former Indian wicket-keeper and batter Dinesh Karthik, caught many by surprise. Given that Karthik has announced his retirement from Indian and international cricket in June 2024, Karthik would become the first Indian player to appear in the SA20. Complete Squads of All Teams Durban's Super Giants Brandon King, Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kane Williamson, Jon-Jon Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Junior Dala, Bryce Parsons, Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Shamar Joseph, Chris Woakes, Prenelan Subrayen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Noor Ahmad, Heinrich Klaasen, CJ King (rookie) Joburg Super Kings Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Imran Tahir, Sibonelo Makhanya, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wihan Lubbe, Evan Jones, Maheesh Theekshana, Devon Conway, Gerald Coetzee, David Wiese, Leus Du Plooy, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Doug Bracewell, Matheesha Pathirana, JP King (rookie) MI Cape Town Rashid Khan, Ben Stokes, Kagiso Rabada, Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Rassie van der Dussen, Trent Boult, Azmatullah Omarzai, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Nuwan Thushara, Thomas Kaber, Chris Benjamin, Corbin Bosch, Colin Ingram, Reeza Hendricks, Dane Piedt, Tristan Luus (rookie) Pretoria Capitals Anrich Nortje, Jimmy Neesham, Will Jacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Steve Stolk, Tiaan van Vuuren, Marques Ackerman, Evin Lewis, Kyle Simmonds, Liam Livingstone, Will Smeed, Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell, Senuran Muthusamy, Keagan Lion-Cachet (rookie) Paarl Royals David Miller, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sam Hain, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Van Buuren, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Andile Phehlukwayo, Codi Yusuf, John Turner, Dayyaan Galiem, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Dinesh Karthik, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Dewan Marais (rookie) Sunrisers Eastern Cape Aiden Markram, Zak Crawley, Roelof van der Merwe, Liam Dawson, Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Tom Abell, Simon Harmer, Andile Simelane, David Bedingham, Okuhle Cele, Richard Gleeson, Beyers Swanepoel, Caleb Seleka, Tristan Stubbs, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Craig Overton, Daniel Smith (rookie)