SA20 2025: Pretoria Capitals sign Will Smeed

Pretoria Capitals have signed English batter Will Smeed for the third edition of SA20. Despite being just 22, Smeed has been making a lot of noise in franchise cricket, which has helped him earn a contract for the upcoming edition of the SA20. The Cambridge-born cricketer first busted into the scene when he hit a century for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred in 2022. 

Since then, he has featured for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL, Deccan Gladitiators in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, and MI Emirates in the ILT20 among a few others. Currently, he is part of the Birmingham squad in The Hundred but the youngster is yet to feature in the playing XI.

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Smeed has featured in 98 T20s in his career and has made 2484 runs at a strike rate of 152.57. He last played for Somerset in the Vitality Blast, where he scored 246 runs in nine matches. The youngster is yet to make his debut for the national team and is not even in the reckoning. However, a good tournament in South Africa can help him get into England’s white-ball squad after the Champions Trophy 2025.

Meanwhile, the Capitals have also roped in Jonathan Trott as their head coach for the upcoming season. The former England cricketer is also in charge of the Afghanistan national team and under his guidance, the team has done remarkably well in the recent past. Afghanistan were close to qualifying for the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup 2023 and in 2024, they defeated Australia to make it to the top four.

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His recent move to the Capitals also questions his future with Afghanistan as the contract is set to run out in 2024. There are reports of him being the next head coach of Delhi Capitals as well but the franchise is still inclined to appoint an Indian for the role, who will be available throughout the year.