"That would be the most special thing" - Allan Donald names two Indian cricketers he would like to see in SA20
South African cricket legend Allan Donald has stated that he would love to see Indian superstars Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah playing in the SA20 if given a choice. The former Proteas pacer commented that the inclusion of the Indian cricketers would be special and elevate the T20 tournament to another level.
The third edition of SA20 is scheduled to be held from January 9 to February 8. Sunrisers Eastern Cape have won both editions of the T20 league held so far. They beat Pretoria Capitals by four wickets in 2023 and Durban's Super Giants by 89 runs in 2024.
Speaking during a virtual media interaction on Monday, December 23, SA20 ambassador Donald shared his thoughts on the upcoming edition of the T20 league. When asked which Indian cricketers he would want to see in SA20 in case the BCCI permits them to play in the tournament, the former South African speedster replied (as quoted by The Times of India):
“That would be the most special thing. That’ll just put it to another level. That’ll add another level of how big this tournament can become if you're allowed to. Imagine two - oh, imagine two per team. But we'll keep it there at one. I'll have those two players for me - Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. If I have to pick from a batter or a bowler - 100 percent sure.”
As per BCCI's current rule, an India player can only feature in overseas competitions if he has retired completely from Indian cricket, which includes the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"He’s truly a breath of fresh air" - Allan Donald on Dinesh Karthik playing SA20
Former India keeper-batter and commentator Dinesh Karthik will be representing Paarl Royals in the upcoming edition of SA20. Praising Karthik, Donald described him as an intelligent cricketer. The 58-year-old elaborated:
“It really is incredible to have an absolute Indian legend join us. He’s such an intelligent cricketer, and for me, it’s a joy to watch and listen to him commentate. He’s truly a breath of fresh air. It’s wonderful to see an ex-international player with such a wealth of IPL experience being signed for SA20. It’ll be amazing to watch him play if he does take the field."
The Proteas legend also credited the IPL for revolutionizing cricket and spreading the popularity of the sport to various parts of the globe. The IPL began in 2008 and has grown tremendously to become the most popular T20 league in the world.