SA20 2025: MI Cape Town rope in Stokes and Omarzai

On August 14 (Wednesday), the SA20 franchise MI Cape Town announced the signing of Ben Stokes and Azmatullah Omarzai ahead of the new season. The duo will join the already star-studded setup including Rashid Khan, Trent Boult and Nuwan Thushara, amongst others. The franchise retained Rashid, Boult and Thushara for the season that begins in January next year. 

Also Read: The story behind the rise of Azmatullah Omarzai

They will join the strong domestic recruits Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton and George Linde in a bid to secure their first SA20 title. 

Stokes becomes the fifth English red-ball star to be part of the SA20 2025 after Joe Root (Paarl Royals), Ollie Pope (Pretoria Capitals), Jonny Bairstow (Joburg Super Kings) and Zak Crawley (Sunrisers Eastern Cape). 

Whilst the all-rounder suffered a hamstring injury in The Hundred 2024, he is expected to be back by October 7, when they will take on Pakistan in Multan. With England’s Test commitments concluding in December with a series against New Zealand, the red-ball players will be free around the start of SA20. 

SA20 2025 is scheduled to begin on January 9, with the final on February 8. 

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