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The highly anticipated third edition of the SA20 cricket league is set to kick off on Thursday (January 9), featuring an exciting opening clash between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. As excitement builds for the tournament, SA20 brand ambassador and legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers shared his thou𝓀ghts with select media𒅌 outlets, offering insights into the league’s potential and players to watch.
AB de Villiers’ player to watch out for in the SA20 2025
When asked about a standout player for SA20 Season 3, De Villiers did not hesitate to name Donovan Ferreira, a hard-hitting South African batter and a new recruit for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming IPL 2025. Ferreira, who was acquired for INR 75 lakh in the IPL 2025 mega auction, transitioned from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to Delhi. Representing Joburg Super Kings in the SA20, the sister franchise of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ferreira has𓃲 caught the attention of cricket pundits.
”I think one player that stands out, and I don’t often or haven’t, spoken about him in the past regularly is Donovan Ferreira. And the only sad thing there is he bats too low in the order to really showcase his his true potential. He’s they’re all a bit older, where Donovan Ferreira is also not the youngest anymore. But I just haven’t seen enough of him and I wish they could push him in at number 3 or 4 just from time to time for us to see what he’s really capable of. So that’ll be my pick. Hopefully, this season, will be his season of getting more game time and more time up the order,” De Villiers was quoted as saying by the Khel Now.
De Villiers reiterated the importance of utilizing Ferreira higher up the order, as the batter often comes in too late to make a𒀰 substantial impact. He explained that Ferreira typically enters the game in the 16th or 17th over, leaving him with insufficient balls to display his full range of skills.
‘‘I think he bats at number 6, and he showcased a little bit of what he’s capable of in that last season once or twice, but just not enough balls. I really hope he could come in from overs 6 onwards, you know, and sometimes overs 8, where more often than not, he comes in only at 16th or 17th over. Really shows his skill and then he’s out again. He’s off and the balls are done. So that’s one guy I would keep an eye out for,” the 40-year-old added.
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Comparisons with MS Dhoni and batting challenges
De Villiers, renowned for his 360-degree shot-making ability, made an intriguing comparison, stating that Ferreira reminded him of MS Dhoni during his prime years. Interestingly, de Villiers compared Ferreira’s batting style to Dhoni in his prime-noting the similar ability to dominate bowlers and strike fear into world-class players like Dale Steyn and Mitchell Starc. While he clarified that he wasn’t directly equating Ferreira to Dhoni, he emphasized Ferreira’s ability to hit the ball with incredible power and precision.
“I think he’s a he’s a out and out match winner. Just a fantastic player. He reminds me a bit of MS Dhoni in his prime, and it’s that I’m not comparing them. I’m saying he reminds me of him where MS was really brutal, against the bowlers. He really bludgeoned the ball, all parts of the ground. He made guys like Dale Steyn, Mitchell Starke look like they are scared to bowl to him. And that’s the feeling I get with Donovan. Hits the ball so hard. He’s got such a good eye, and, hopefully, he will face a few more more deliveries in this coming season,” De Villiers concluded.
