South Africa’s premier T20 league, SA20, kicks off its fourth season in December. The SA20 standings will determine which teams reach the playoffs in 2026. This tournament happens right before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup starts later on.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The SA20 uses a double round-robin form where every team plays each other twice. Six teams contest with each side playing ten matches during the league stage. The top four teams in the points table move on to the playoff rounds.
League matches begin on December 26, 2025 and play till January 19, 2026. The playoffs run from January 21 to January 25, 2026 with three knockout games.
Qualifier 1 features the top two teams from the standings battling for the finals. Third and fourth placed teams face off in the Eliminator match deciding survival. Qualifier 2 then pits the Eliminator winner against the Qualifier 1 loser.
SA20 Standings for the Fourth Season
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | No Result | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban Super Giants | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | +0.750 |
| 2 | Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | +6.850 |
| 3 | Joburg Super Kings | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +1.100 |
| 4 | MI Cape Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -0.750 |
| 5 | Pretoria Capitals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1.100 |
| 6 | Paarl Royals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -6.850 |
Six teams compete fiercely making every match count toward final places. The contest provides high-quality T20 cricket engaging millions of viewers across the globe.
Teams know strong finishes in the table guarantee easier playoff paths ahead ultimately. The 2026 season promises exciting cricket with new captains and coaching changes everywhere.
Defending Champions and New Leadership
MI Cape Town enters this SA20 season defending their championship title won previously. Sunrisers Eastern Cape wants to reclaim glory after winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. They dominated during those seasons with brilliant all-round performances throughout.
Tristan Stubbs now captains Sunrisers Eastern Cape replacing Aiden Markram for the next season. This leadership change creates interest among fans wondering how it affects team dynamics.
Pretoria Capitals made headlines by appointing Sourav Ganguly as their head coach. The Indian legend brings massive experience which could change their fortunes this year.
Teams battle hard knowing the table directly decide their playoff qualification chances. Each victory matters because the competition stays incredibly tight from start to finish.
How to Watch These Matches
Indian cricket fans can watch all SA20 matches on Star Sports Network channels. The JioHotstar app streams every game live for people who prefer mobile viewing options.
International viewers access matches through their respective country’s official broadcasting partners available locally.
The 2026 tournament timing works perfectly for players preparing for the World Cup. Many international stars practice before the bigger tournament begins.
The points table keeps changing daily as teams win and lose matches unexpectedly. Fans check standings regularly to see where their favourite teams stand currently.
