9 of the biggest exclusions from SA20 player auction purchases
The player auction for SA20 took place on Tuesday with over 500 players up for grabs as the six franchises sought to fill around 84 available spaces.
Naturally not every player available for purchase was going to be sold, given the limited budgets and finite spaces available. But even so, there were still some names that very surprisingly ended the day without a deal in this big T20 cricket league.
Let’s take a moment to look at some of the surprise names who failed to earn deals for SA20 2026.
1. Andile Phehlukwayo
- T20s: 150
- Batting: 1027 runs at average of 13.16 and strike rate of 116.97
- Bowling: 121 wickets at average of 26.23 and strike rate of 18.5
Few South Africa players divide opinion quite like Andile Phehlukwayo. A World Cup squad member as recently as 2019, he was once viewed as a long-term white-ball allrounder capable of finishing innings and bowling cleverly at the death. He is a firm favourite with those who bet on cricket with Betway.
His ability to deliver cutters and slower balls made him an asset in T20 cricket, while his batting promised late-order power. Yet, in recent years, Phehlukwayo has been caught in a cycle of inconsistency, struggling to cement his spot with either bat or ball.
That said, his exclusion from the SA20 auction winners is still a surprise. Teams always value local allrounders given their dual utility, and Phehlukwayo has domestic experience across conditions – he played the first three seasons of SA20 for Paarl Royals.
His lack of a contract perhaps reflects that franchises now see younger, cheaper allrounders as more enticing prospects, but it still feels like a missed opportunity for a player who could cover multiple roles in a squad.
2. Moeen Ali
- T20s: 399
- Batting: 7412 runs at average of 23.75 and strike rate of 137.23
- Bowling: 261 wickets at average of 24.78 and strike rate of 19.4
Moeen Ali’s omission from the list of signed players is one of the real shockers. Granted, at 38-years-old he is heading to towards the tail end of his career.
But he is a proven match-winner in the shortest format where he has been a regular in leagues across the globe: the IPL, the Hundred, and the Big Bash amongst others. His off spin is particularly useful against left-handers, and he can strike at will in the middle overs with the bat.
His international pedigree is unquestionable: a World Cup winner with England and a player who has been trusted in countless pressure situations.
Perhaps his age and high reserve price worked against him, with teams wary of committing big money to a veteran who may not be available for the full season. Even so, his absence leaves the sense that franchises might regret overlooking someone with such proven quality.
3. Duan Jansen
- T20s: 41
- Batting: 294 runs at average of 15.47 and strike rate of 146.26
- Bowling: 35 wickets at average of 30.48 and strike rate of 21.7
The Jansen twins have generated plenty of buzz in recent years, but while Marco has established himself with the Proteas and in global T20 leagues, Duan remains something of an enigma after a brief stint with the Mumbai Indians.
Tall, left-armed, and capable of extracting bounce, he has many of the same raw attributes that make Marco such a prized asset. He also offers some hitting ability lower down the order, making him a potential two-in-one package.
That potential seemed enough to guarantee at least a squad berth somewhere, yet Duan went unsold. His inconsistent performances in domestic cricket may have contributed to teams’ hesitancy.
Still, in a league where raw pace and variety are prized, leaving him without a contract feels like a gamble. If he kicks on in the coming season, expect plenty of teams to look back at this auction with some regret.
Also read: The 7 biggest England names acquired at the SA20 player auction – and their hefty price tags
4. Jason Roy
- T20s: 412
- Batting: 10554 runs at average of 27.20 and strike rate of 139.89
Jason Roy’s career has been full of peaks and troughs, but his record at the top of the order in T20 cricket is impressive. A lynchpin in England’s white-ball revolution, he has more than 8,000 career T20 runs at a strike rate north of 140.
He is the kind of explosive opener who can win a game in the first six overs by sheer force of hitting.
However, Roy’s form has been patchy in recent years, and he has largely drifted out of England’s set-up. Some teams may also have concerns over his fitness and availability.
Even so, his ability to provide quickfire starts in the powerplay, something every T20 franchise craves, means his absence from the contracts list is puzzling. A player with his experience could have been invaluable, particularly in high-pressure knockout fixtures.
5. Beuran Hendricks
- T20s: 122
- Bowling: 142 wickets at an average of 24.10 and strike rate of 17.5
Beuran Hendricks has long been a steady performer in South African cricket, combining left-arm angle with the ability to bowl effective slower balls. He has represented the Proteas in both white-ball formats (he has 29 caps in total) and was part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
For many years, he has been the kind of reliable seamer franchises lean on to provide squad depth and match-winning spells in the right conditions.
At 35-years-old Hendricks is not as young as he used to be – his omission suggests teams may now be turning to younger fast bowlers or overseas quicks who offer higher pace.
But in tournaments like the SA20, where local seam-bowling resources are crucial, Hendricks’ absence is still notable. His experience, particularly in high-pressure domestic finals, might have been a useful commodity for teams eyeing a title challenge.
6. James Anderson
- T20s: 57
- Bowling: 61 wickets at average of 27.81 and strike rate of 19. 7
While his name is synonymous with Test cricket, James Anderson’s availability in the SA20 auction raised eyebrows from the start. The England legend has not been a regular in limited-overs cricket for over a decade, and at 43, he was never likely to be a frontline pick.
But experience is priceless and it’s hard to put a value on the influence veteran internationals can have on emerging youngsters (think Malcolm Marshall and Shaun Pollock or Joe Root and Lhuan-dre Pretorius).
Anderson still generates a sense of allure. His skill with the new ball remains unmatched, and in the right conditions, he could have offered a tactical option for a franchise.
The fact he went unsold is not necessarily surprising, but it is remarkable to see a bowler of his stature placed in an auction pool and emerge without a contract.
It underlines how sharply modern T20 cricket prioritises youth, pace, and multi-dimensional skills over pure artistry with the ball.
7. Sonny Baker
- T20s: 21
- Bowling: 24 wickets at average of 24.04 and strike rate of 16.5
The young English fast bowler Sonny Baker has made a name for himself as a rising star in county cricket, particularly with his raw pace and energy.
Still only 21, he was expected to attract at least some speculative bids from franchises willing to invest in potential, especially given his breakthrough season in England this summer which ended in a national team call up.
After all, the SA20 has already shown a willingness to give opportunities to emerging players, both domestic and overseas.
That he went unsold suggests teams are becoming more risk-averse in balancing their squads. His showing on debut for England, against the Proteas at Headingley could also have had something to do with it.
Baker was brutally punished by Aiden Markram in what was a terrible England performance. In tournaments where every overseas slot is precious, perhaps Baker’s inexperience counted against him.
Even so, it feels like a missed opportunity for a franchise to snap up a player who could be groomed into a long-term asset.
8. Temba Bavuma
- T20s: 131
- Batting: 2653 runs at average of 27.7 and strike rate of 123.39
No omission will sting more for South African cricket fans than that of Temba Bavuma. The national Test and ODI captain, Bavuma has been an ever-present in debates around South Africa’s batting structure.
While his strike rate has often been criticised, he has also produced several innings of poise and leadership in pressure situations.
Granted, he is not a traditional power-hitter, but he is still an excellent batsman, an outstanding fielder and one of South Africa’s very best cricket brains.
His absence from the auction’s successful signings reflects how franchises now view T20 cricket through the narrow lens of power-hitting and rapid scoring.
Bavuma’s technique and ability to rotate strike are valuable, but perhaps not as attractive in the franchise arena, where six-hitting prowess dominates. For a player who has captained his country and remains a technically sound option at the top, it is still a startling omission.
9. Jayden Seales
- T20s: 41
- Bowling: 39 wickets at average of 26.05 and strike rate of 17.5
The West Indian fast bowler Jayden Seales has already shown flashes of brilliance in international cricket, particularly in the longer format. At just 23, he combines genuine pace with sharp movement, making him one of the Caribbean’s brightest prospects.
His potential as a strike bowler seemed to make him a natural fit for a league like SA20, where overseas quicks are often snapped up early.
That he went unsold is a surprise but perhaps reflects concerns over his limited T20 experience (he has played just one T20I and 40 T20s) and recent injuries. Seales is still developing as a bowler, and his best cricket may yet be ahead of him.
Even so, given the shortage of high-quality fast bowlers in world cricket, franchises might come to regret overlooking him this season.
On a day when players like Lizaad Williams and Ottneil Baartman went for R2.4 and R5.1 million respectively it comes as a surprise that Seales wasn’t snapped up at a bargain fee.
Unsold players at SA20 auction – top 9 summary list
1. Andile Phehlukwayo
2. Moeen Ali
3. Duan Jansen
4. Jason Roy
5. Beuran Hendricks
6. James Anderson
7. Sonny Baker
8. Temba Bavuma
9. Jayden Seales
Read next: The best Over-40 T20 XI: Imran Tahir and 10 golden oldie contemporaries