MUMBAI: Mark Boucher, a former head coach with South Africa and the Mumbai Indians, has credited SA20 for South African big-hitter Heinrich Klaasen‘s dominance over rival attacks in the IPL.
Klaasen, who was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL for a whopping Rs 23 crore, scored 479 runs at a strike rate of 171.07 in IPL 2024. Overall, the explosive ‘keeper-batsman has aggregated 927 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 174 in his two seasons at Sunrisers so far.
Highlighting how SA20 had helped the growth of a power-hitter like Klaasen, Boucher, a former South African wicketkeeper-batsman said, “Before SA20, you didn’t see a lot of players with potential getting opportunities. The league has pushed these players back into the system and strengthened cricket across the country. Also, the players that were always there and thereabouts, like Heinrich Klaasen, all of a sudden his exposure is bigger to international scenes, he gets more confidence from playing in the SA20, he gets to the IPL, that confidence starts to get through into his game and then he starts dominating teams in IPL. So I think it has definitely improved our product back home as players,” Boucher, presently an SA20 Ambassador, explained at a media interaction organized by SA20.
Similarly, rising star Kwena Maphaka‘s meteoric rise began with his standout performances in the Under-19 World Cup, where he took 21 wickets at an average of just 9.71 and earned the Player of the Tournament award. In August 2024, at just 18 years and 137 days old, Maphaka became the youngest South African to debut in men’s international cricket, impressing in a T20I series against the West Indies. His performances caught the eye of IPL franchises, and in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Maphaka fetched INR 1.5 crore after a bidding war between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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“We’re now seeing players who were previously underutilized making their mark internationally. SA20 has definitely improved the strength of the game in South Africa,” Boucher added.
“T20 cricket has made the game more exciting and opened it up to a broader audience,” Boucher observed. “Other sports are envious, wishing for innovations that expand their appeal in the same way.”
Looking ahead, Boucher sees SA20 following in the IPL’s footsteps, with ambitious plans for growth. “With IPL owners involved, the template for success is already there. Who’s to say we won’t see another four or five teams in the next decade?”
The tournament will start from 9 January with the final being played on 8 February 2025.
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