Maharaj to captain Pretoria Capitals in SA20 as part of a a revamped squad and support staff for the upcoming season.
Keshav Maharaj to lead Pretoria Capitals at SA20.
Keshav Maharaj has replaced Rilee Rossouw as the new skipper of the Pretoria Capitals for the SA20 season.
“Maharaj brings a wealth of international pedigree across formats, along with a proven track record of guiding teams with composure, clarity and intent,” Capitals said in a statement on Friday. “Having captained South Africa in white-ball cricket and served as a senior figure within the national setup for several years, Maharaj’s leadership experience, tactical understanding and consistency make him an invaluable addition in this role. His presence strengthens the balance and direction of the Pretoria Capitals squad as the team heads into the new season.”.
This season, Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India, has taken over as head coach, giving the Capitals a completely new lineup. Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock will support Ganguly, who took Jonathan Trott’s spot.
The franchise entered the September auction with the largest purse—32.5 million Rand, or around US$1.85 million—as well as the most number of open slots—16. They broke the SA20 salary record by spending 16.5 million Rand (about US$945,000) on Dewald Brevis.
Among the major purchases they made at the auction were Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Craig Overton, Saqib Mahmood, and Codi Yusuf. Will Jacks and Sherfane Rutherford were signed before to the auction, and Andre Russell, an IPL player who recently retired, was acquired as a wild card.
So far in the SA20, the Capitals have seen ups and downs. In the inaugural season, they placed first in the group stage before falling to Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final. They had more mediocre results in the two seasons that followed, in 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, placing fifth each time and missing out on the playoffs.
The SA20’s 2025–2026 season kicks off on December 26 with a match between Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town. The next day, the Capitals play the Johannesburg Super Kings to start the season. The date of the final is January 25, 2026.