SA20 2024 is all set to kickstart on January 10. Notably, the inaugural edition of the league suffered a major drawback as it clashed with ILt20 & resulted in the division of viewership as well as the participation of overseas players as some of them chose to play in ILT20 instead of South Africa’s T20 league. But this time the board is trying to make all possible efforts to make the SA20 2024 a huge success. So without wasting time let’s have a look at the complete Schedule of SA20 2024.
SA20 2024 Schedule Explained
The second edition of the league will run from January 10 to February 10, 2024, with the opening clash between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha. While the finals will be played a month later on February 10. Notably, each franchisee will host a fixture at home in the first week. This means each franchise will play each other at home & away in a round-robin format. A total of 34 fixtures will be played across six venues in South Africa. The opening weekend of the league will conclude with a double-header fixture that sees Durban Super Giants locking horns with Sunrisers followed by a fixture of Super Kings against MI Cape Town.
The tournament has adopted the IPL format for the knockout stage by moving away from semi-finals. This means from SA20 2024 three playoffs (an eliminator and two qualifiers) will be played in the knockout structure. The uncluttered format also means that weekday fixtures will be played as standalone fixtures while the double-headers will be played on Saturdays only. They adopted to keep Sunday fixtures late so that fans can enjoy late afternoon entertainment before the beginning of their work schedule. Midweek fixtures will begin at 17:30 while Sunday clashes will be played at 15.30.
SA20 2024 clashing with New Zealand Test Series
Now again there comes some concerns for South Africa Cricket as SA20 2024 will clash with the New Zealand Test series which will commence with a warm-up fixture on January 29. But as the league is owned by Cricket South Africa the players are obliged to participate in the SA20 even before the National duty. This means that the key members of the South African team will not be available for New Zealand tour.
This means that Proteas will be without the services of Test Captain Temba Bavuma, opening batter Aiden Markram, middle-order players Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen, and Rassie van der Dussen, allrounder Wiaan Mulder, and their entire frontline attack: Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer in the New Zealand Test series. In addition to this players who will be picked in SA20 2024 auctions beginning on September 27 will also miss the Test series. So, unfortunately, CSA will have to field a second-string squad for the New Zealand series which is also a part of the WTC 2023-2025 cycle.
CSA Ceo Pholetsi said,
“Proteas players in the SA20 will not be going to New Zealand and that is a directive from CSA. But our plans are on track. The auction will be the next milestone and Shukri [Conrad, the Test coach] will then determine player availability for the tour.”
Why CSA didn’t thought of Rescheduling the New Zealand Test Series?
Speaking about the same, Conrad said that he will try his best & choose a competent squad that will help them to clinch the Test series. On the other hand, Moseki saw it as an opportunity to groom young players for taking up the onus in the near future. Graeme Smith said that the clash is not ideal but they were clear about the league right from its inception & it’s their duty to deliver the best performance during four weeks of competition.
SA20 2024 will begin three days after the conclusion of India’s all-format tour of South Africa which will conclude with the New Year’s Test & will be played in their fixture January window. CSA negotiated with New Zealand Cricket to postpone the Test series fixed during the FTP 2023-2024. But when NZC said that there is no room for negotiation CSA decided to go ahead with the decided schedule with a second string squad.
SA20 2024 Full Schedule & Fixtures
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Also read, WI vs IND 5th T20I Highlights, West Indies vs India 5th T20
