All you need to know about the Joburg Super Kings ahead of the 2024 edition of the SA20, including predictions, players to watch, strengths, weaknesses and other factors worth understanding about last season’s losing semi-finalists.
Position last season
The Super Kings ended the 2023 SA20’s six-team points table in second position. They won six matches and lost three – and shared a washout with the Paarl Royals. This afforded them a berth in the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
Notable squad additions
All-rounder Dayyaan Galiem has joined the Super Kings. Alongside the Pretoria Capitals’ Matthew Boast, Galiem was the joint most expensive purchase at the player auction before the 2024 SA20. His price will bring plenty of expectation with bat and ball.
The Super Kings have also signed English county cricketer Wayne Madsen, who has South African origins and could become a fan favourite in Johannesburg. Madsen has been scoring plenty of runs for several seasons. The Joburg team want this consistency.
Romario Shepherd is among several West Indian all-rounders in the SA20. He will be a big asset with bat and ball for the Super Kings. Shepherd impressed during England’s tour of the Caribbean in December 2023 and, earlier in the year, for the title-winning Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League.
Ronan Hermann is a hugely talented batter who the Super Kings opted for as their wildcard pick. Hermann is going to learn so much from playing alongside former national captain Faf du Plessis and other international stars at the Kings.
Excited For Our Newest Lion Dayyaan Galiem 💛 Genuine All-Rounder . Our Middle Order and Finishers Are Sorted For SA20 2024 💛 .
— Junaid Khan (@JunaidKhanation) September 28, 2023
Video : Joburg Super Kings pic.twitter.com/L5pOX6VPv4
Players to watch
Du Plessis recently reiterated his intention to return to international cricket. If he scores a lot of runs – quickly – in the SA20, this could become a welcome reality for him and Proteas fans. He has been keeping himself busy and fit by playing in domestic leagues around the world, including the Abu Dhabi T10 and Indian Premier League.
Coetzee was prolific during the 2023 Cricket World Cup and bowled with plenty of fire and animation. In conducive conditions, he is a genuine fast bowler. Coetzee took seven more wickets than any other Joburg Super Kings bowler during the 2024 SA20.
England all-rounder Moeen Ali will be with the Joburg team this season. He was due to play in the inaugural SA20, but withdrew to compete in the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates instead. Ali is a world-class all-rounder – and a captaincy option for the Super Kings if necessary.
Nandre Burger is another outright fast bowler. As a left-armer, he will be a relatively unique threat to opposition batters. When Burger first played for the Super Kings, he was uncapped at international level. When he represents them again, he will likely be an international cricketer, after being included in the Proteas’ Test, ODI and T20I squads for late 2023’s series against India.
Cut, Drive, Loft, Sweep & what else! 😍🙌#Rememberthegame #WhistleForJoburg #ToJoburgWeBelong #SA20 @SA20_League pic.twitter.com/JDr1qAWZOY
— Joburg Super Kings (@JSKSA20) December 20, 2023
Strengths
The Joburg team are part of the global Super Kings franchise. Chennai are the most successful team in the history of the IPL and this association is great for the Super Kings side in South Africa. This comes with a multitude of on- and off-field resources – and a wealth of finance and coaching personnel.
Du Plessis, Coetzee and Reeza Hendricks make for a formidable trio, who can steer the Super Kings through straightforward or difficult match circumstances. Hendricks is hugely under-rated in international cricket, but a massively popular pick in domestic cricket.
Weaknesses
Spinner Aaron Phangiso was among Joburg’s most successful bowlers last season, but is relatively frequently the subject of illegitimate bowling action claims. Phangiso has been tested on a number of occasions – and eventually cleared. If he is sidelined for similar circumstances during the Kings’ 2024 SA20 campaign, they could be troubled.
Prediction
The Super Kings ended the 2023 SA20 in second position and should move into the semi-finals stage of the competition again. But that’s likely where it will end, as an evident shortage of batting resources catches up with them.
Highest wicket-taker
Coetzee is in superb form and, as the Joburg Super Kings’ top wicket-taker last season, looks set to retain the mantle this time. He took a South African record-breaking 20 wickets at the 2023 Cricket World Cup. If not Phangiso, spin bowler Kyle Simmonds could be a good complement to Coetzee’s pace. You might see them bowling in tandem relatively often, especially at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
Highest run-scorer
This could be Hendricks’ season to step from the shadow of du Plessis and forge a path en route to the Kings’ leading run-scorer status. He should have played more in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, but was consistently overlooked. This isn’t international cricket, but the SA20 is an appropriately big enough stage for Hendricks to remind all and sundry of his wealth of talent.
