I always advocate rules that decrease the impact of toss: AB de Villiers

Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers believes the impact player rule can be a little tricky

The third season of SA20 is all set to begin on Friday, January 10, 2025, with six participating teams—Durban's Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape—battling it out in 34 matches to determine the ultimate champions of season three. So far, Sunrisers Eastern Cape has won both previous seasons and will look to make history by claiming the trophy for the third consecutive time in 2025.

 

Ahead of the start of the season, SA20 ambassador AB de Villiers addressed the Indian media and shared his thoughts on what fans can expect from the upcoming season of the tournament.

 

 

On what sets SA20 apart from other leagues

 

AB de Villiers, in the interaction, said that the hospitality and environment of South Africa are key aspects that distinguish SA20 from other leagues around the world. He also highlighted that the wickets in South Africa are very different from what players encounter in other parts of the world, and the challenge of playing on these wickets excites players more than anything.

 

On the impact player rule of IPL

 

De Villiers said that the impact player rule is a very tricky topic to discuss, as it reduces the importance of all-rounders in the team. However, he added that he is a big advocate of anything that decreases the impact of the toss on the game and suggested that SA20 could consider trying this rule, just like the IPL.

 

He also mentioned that SA20 already has a "two playing XI" rule, where captains can hand in their playing XI sheet after the toss, making it easier to field a team better suited to the situation.

 

On SEC’s chances of winning three in a row

 

De Villiers, commenting on the chances of Sunrisers Eastern Cape winning the title for the third time, said he doesn’t think so, as it is hard to win titles back-to-back in T20 leagues. He believes that other teams look more capable of winning this time on paper, but teams like Chennai Super Kings in the IPL have shown that being strong on paper is not everything. The way SEC has managed their team indicates they are capable of winning three in a row, but he still believes it will be a tough task for them. 

 

Importance of Indian players

 

De Villiers believes that the inclusion of Indian players would help the league grow, and he would love to see top Indian players participating in SA20. However, he noted that the BCCI’s current rules do not allow players to compete in other leagues but expressed hope that this might change in the future.

 

He also mentioned Dinesh Karthik, who, after retiring from Indian cricket, has opted to play in season three of SA20. De Villiers said he hopes Karthik will continue playing in the league for the next couple of seasons and have a fitting end to his career.