MI Cape Town to Sign Ben Stokes for 3rd Season of SA20 | Source: X.com
England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, is reportedly on the verge of signing a lucrative deal with MI Cape Town, one of the franchises in South Africa’s T20 league, SA20.
The tournament kicks off next January, and Stokes is being offered a staggering £800,000 to participate in the entire season as per a report of The Telegraph. This move would mean Stokes missing England’s five-match T20 series in India.
Ben Stokes Makes Himself Available for SA20
While his participation in the SA20 would rule him out of the T20 series, Ben Stokes could still be available for the Champions Trophy, scheduled to begin in Pakistan on February 19th.
England has a three-match ODI series against India leading up to the tournament, starting on February 6th. If selected for the Champions Trophy squad, Stokes could potentially play in these ODIs.
The SA20 offers Stokes a chance to compete during a break in England’s Test schedule. This winter, they have three-Test series in Pakistan and New Zealand but won’t have another Test series until the 2025 home summer.
More About SA20
SA20 All Teams Captains With Trophy | Source: Twitter(SA20)
The SA20 itself is a new venture, launched in 2023. Interestingly, all six franchises in the league are owned by Indian Premier League team owners. MI Cape Town, the team Stokes is in talks with, is the partner franchise of the Mumbai Indians, owned by the incredibly wealthy Ambani family.
