SA20 teams to face Namibia, Netherlands in warm-up matches

Several prominent South African players, who chose SA20 over international cricket in New Zealand, are set to engage with international teams in warm-up matches ahead of the league's second season, starting on January 10. 

The Joburg Super Kings, featuring stars like Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks, and Nandre Burger, have arranged two preparatory games against Namibia's national team at the Wanderers.

These matches serve as crucial preparation for the upcoming SA20 season and aim to provide valuable game time for both teams. David Wiese, a Namibian international playing for Joburg Super Kings, will notably represent the franchise instead of his national team.

Similarly, SunRisers Eastern Cape, including the likes of Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen, have invited Netherlands for practice matches. The Netherlands team, led by Scott Edwards, gained praise for their performance in the 50-over World Cup in India last year. They are scheduled to play against SunRisers, Paarl Royals, and MI Cape Town in a series of matches.

It's a fantastic opportunity for us to play warm-up matches against such quality opposition: Rudi van Vuuren

Rudi van Vuuren, the head of Namibia Cricket, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, mentioning that it's a fantastic chance for them to play warm-up matches against such quality opposition. It is excellent preparation for the T20 World Cup for which they have qualified.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for us to play warm-up matches against such quality opposition. It is excellent preparation for the T20 World Cup for which we have qualified. We are very excited about it. Some players will gain recognition through these matches. Our Under 19 team has also qualified for the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa, so we are excited for them as well," said van Vuuren, the head of Namibia Cricket, in a statement to Cricbuzz.

The second season of SA20 is set to kick off with a clash between defending champions SunRisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings on January 10.