Aiden Markram credits SA20 for Proteas upturn in depth

By Benjamin Leshoro
10th September 2025

Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram has credited the SA20 for giving a wide range of players an opportunity to showcase their skills, therefore widening the pool for the national selectors.

Markram was speaking ahead of South Africa’s three-match T20 international series against England, which starts tomorrow in Cardiff.

He says the T20 league, which has taken the country by storm since the inaugural season in 2022, helps expose younger players to the big stage and get them ready for international cricket.

"I think the depth is good. I think the SA20 has done heaps for that as well, and naturally through that, guys are getting more opportunities worldwide in different leagues as well," said Markram.

"So it's definitely helping to grow that sort of depth for T20 cricket – you see younger guys coming through and are no longer fussed about the stage and the opposition because they've come up against these guys before somewhere around the world.

"So it feels like the depth has been good, the options that are knocking on doors are some really exciting options for us, and again, it's about us giving them fair opportunities and seeing how best we can formulate it as a squad in our plan going to the World Cup."

READ: David Miller ruled out of England T20I series

Meanwhile, the two-time SA20-winning skipper with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape found a new home after being sold for a whopping R14 million to the Durban Super Giants, initially breaking the record before Dewald Brevis went for R16.5 million to the Pretoria Capitals.

For the time being, he will have to forget about that as he has to lead the Proteas in a tough three-match T20 series against the English, and says any match against the Three Lions is something to take seriously.

"They are always a good team, always. We're never going to play against England and it's going to be an easy game, so we're expecting it to be a really good challenge for us," he added.

"Again, they've won heaps of white ball tournaments and were sort-of the trend-setters at a stage, so we're looking forward to the series and facing them and their strengths, and seeing where we are as a team against a really good opponent."