New Delhi: As SA20 Season 3 heads toward its grand finale on Saturday, February 8, 2025, with MI Cape Town facing off against Sunrisers Eastern Cape, SA20 Ambassador Allan Donald offered valuable insights during a virtual media interaction. He discussed the tournament’s growth, its impact on nurturing emerging South African talent, and the excitement surrounding the highly anticipated final showdown.
‘we all know DK (Dinesh Karthik) and his qualities. I was with him at Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016, and he is a serious player. This year, we’ve seen glimpses of his quality, especially with Paarl Royals’.
From what I’ve heard, I’m very good friends with Trevor Bayliss, the head coach, and he’s told me that the work DK has done off the field has been unbelievable. So, I don’t think we’ve seen the best of DK yet. He made significant scores when it really mattered, especially here in Paarl where the pitch was slow and the ball was turning a lot. The combination of Joe Root and DK in the team, and the work they’ve done together both on and off the field, speaks volumes about their quality, especially DK’s.
As for your second question, well, it’s been a topic of conversation in South Africa. I was with DSG this summer, and players have been discussing which Indian cricketers they would like to see. Many South African cricketers look up to Indian players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and others. It’s tough to pick just one, but as I mentioned in our last chat, if I had to choose, from a bowling perspective, I would go with Jasprit Bumrah. And, for a batsman, it would definitely be Virat Kohli. Those are my two picks if I had a choice.
On SA20 as a Platform for Young South African Talent
Donald emphasized the role of SA20 in shaping the future of South African cricket, stating:
“That’s exactly why we bring in overseas players—to work with our young fast bowlers and batters. Watching Richard Gleeson perform well for Eastern Cape and seeing Ottniel Baartman bowl alongside him has been fantastic. Players like Marco Jansen are learning how to bowl at the death from experienced professionals. SA20 offers a steep learning curve; what a young player can pick up in a month here is equivalent to six months of regular cricket because of the high level of experience in the dressing room. I’ve seen this in the IPL with RCB too. It’s an incredible platform for young cricketers to elevate their game. The pace of learning is accelerated because they are constantly making high-pressure decisions.”
On Rising South African Stars Like Ethan Bosch
Donald also highlighted several standout performers in this season’s SA20:
“I’ve been particularly impressed by Rubin Hermann and Lhuan-dre Pretorius. We’ve seen two young stars emerge. I’ve watched Rubin a fair bit in domestic cricket, and it’s fantastic to see him perform for Paarl Royals on this stage. His brother, Jordan Hermann, didn’t play many games initially, but once he got his opportunity, he really flourished. Kwena Maphaka has also been outstanding. One player who has been an unsung hero is Bjorn Fortuin. As a left-arm spinner, he’s done a superb job for Paarl Royals, bowling tough overs, even in the powerplay.
Ethan Bosch has now announced himself on the Test stage, and I couldn’t be happier for him. His father, Tertius Bosch, was a quick bowler, and I’m sure he’d be extremely proud of his son’s journey. Ethan has now made a name for himself in both SA20 and Test cricket and has been a consistent performer. He’s a fantastic prospect for South Africa’s future.”
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