The Aryavarth Express
Paarl (South Africa): Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald has lauded the SA20 league, calling it “as good as it gets” from a South African cricketing perspective, while acknowledging that matching the scale of the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains a tall order.
Speaking to the media during the ongoing SA20 2025–26 season, Donald said the true atmosphere of the tournament cannot be fully captured on television and must be experienced live. He noted that the energy and setup of the league closely resemble the IPL, making it South Africa’s premier domestic T20 competition.
“We’ve been waiting for something like this for a long time. You don’t really realise it when you watch on TV—you don’t get the real atmosphere. Being here and experiencing it firsthand is special. I was with the Durban Super Giants last year, and being in that dressing room felt like an IPL atmosphere,” Donald said in Paarl.
While admitting that few tournaments in the world can rival the IPL’s scale, Donald stressed the significance of SA20 for South African cricket. “This tournament might not be as big as the IPL—there aren’t many that will be—but from a South African point of view, this is as good as it gets. You have high-class, world-class cricketers, along with young talent coming through that even I hadn’t seen before,” he added.
Donald also highlighted the emergence of 19-year-old pacer Nqobani Mokoena, calling his rise one of the standout stories of the season. “They discovered Mokoena only a few weeks ago. I hadn’t seen him at all. Now here he is on the biggest stage, playing against some of the finest cricketers in the world and showing what he can do. It’s very special,” he said, expressing hope that the league continues to grow.
Mokoena has impressed in the ongoing SA20 season, picking up nine wickets in six matches at an average of 21.44, placing him fourth among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers so far.
