SA20 2027 to be held from January 17 to February 21

SA20 2027 will be held from January 17 to February 21, with last season's finalists - defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and runners-up Pretoria Capitals - featuring in the opener at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. The other two teams that made the playoffs last season - Paarl Royals and Jo'burg Super Kings will contest on Day 2 of the tournament at the former's home ground.

The month-long tournament will have four Saturday double-headers on January 23, January 30, February 6 and February 13. On February 14, MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals will play out the final group stage fixture at Newlands. Exactly a week later, that venue will host the final of the season. Before that, the Qualifier and Eliminator matches will be played in Paarl and Johannesburg.

Playoffs fixtures:

Qualifier 1: Tuesday, 16 February 2027, Boland Park, Paarl

Eliminator: Wednesday, 17 February 2027, Wanderers, Johannesburg

Qualifier 2: Friday, 19 February 2027, Wanderers, Johannesburg

Final: Sunday, 21 February 2027, Newlands, Cape Town

"Announcing the SA20 fixtures is always a big moment for us, it’s the first major milestone ahead of the new season and it means the wheels are in motion for us as we build towards an incredible month of cricket,” SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said.

“There is no better way to start Season 5 than with a repeat of one of the most thrilling finals in our history. Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals served up a classic in Cape Town last season, and it's fitting that they're the two teams out in the middle when the season gets underway in Gqeberha on 17 January 2027," he added.

For the second successive season and third overall, Newlands will host the final of the tournament. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed his delight at his city getting to host the marquee fixture once more. "Cape Town is proud to once again host the SA20 Final, and to do so as our city gears up for an extraordinary year of cricket,” he said.

"The League has become an anticipated fixture on our sporting and cultural calendar and hosting this Final in the same year we welcome the world for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup shows exactly why Cape Town is one of the great cricketing cities. We look forward to giving players, fans and visitors from around the world the warmest welcome when the Final comes to Newlands.”

Paarl meanwhile, will get to host a playoffs fixture for the first time in the league's brief history. "The Paarl fans have been some of the most passionate supporters of the League so I’m excited that we are finally able to give them a Playoff in the form of Q1," Smith said.

Click here to read article