The auction longlist has 533 players, out of which 248 are from South Africa. Eleven out of those 248 – Dean Elgar, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorious, Janneman Malan, Keegan Petersen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi and Temba Bavuma – have set themselves a base price of Rand 850,000 ($49,000 approx.), the highest among South African players.
Fast bowler Seales is uncapped in T20Is but has proved to be effective both in the powerplay and death overs during his time with Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL and at the LPL with Jaffna Kings. He has played nine Tests and seven ODIs so far, and recently earned his first national contract. In LPL 2021, which was dominated by spinners, Seales emerged as the most prolific seamer, with 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 7.81.
Smith has played 19 T20Is and five ODIs apart from playing for Punjab Kings in the IPL and a bunch of teams in the CPL, and has showcased his big-hitting both at the international and franchise levels.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, there were no Pakistan players on the list. There have been suggestions that they were not picked because the franchises are owned by team owners from the IPL, where Pakistani players are, in effect, barred. But a league official, while clarifying that the league doesn’t get involved in selections, said Pakistan’s schedule constraints – they have home series and then the PSL this year – have played a part in their players’ non-availability.
The six teams have already signed between two and five players apiece from a pool of 30 marquee players as part of the direct-acquisition process. The franchises have an overall purse of $2 million and can buy as many more players as they can, or want, with the maximum squad strength set at 17.
The money available to them at the auction will be based on what is left of the purse after acquiring the pre-auction players [the five included a maximum of three overseas players, one South Africa international, and one uncapped South Africa player]. In total, franchises will be permitted to sign up to seven international players and ten South Africans, with a view of fielding an XI with a maximum of four overseas players, the same as in the IPL.