SAT20 Team-by-team Guide: Can anyone stop Sunrisers winning three in a row?

• Sunrisers eye third successive SAT20 title

• MI Cape Town surprising favs

• Batting/bowling rankings

• Possible XIs listed

• Top-bat/bowler data based on minimum 10 games

Durban Super Giants 7/24.50

24-23 finishes: RU-5
2-year Batting run rate rank: 1
2-year Bowling economy rank 4
2-year Top bat % high: Klaasen 34.7
2-year Top bowler % high: D Pretorius 23.5

Squad: Brandon King (West Indies), Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Chris Woakes (England), Prenelan Subrayen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Noor Ahmed (Afghanistan), Heinrich Klaasen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Junior Dala, Bryce Parsons, Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Marcus Stoinis (Australia), Shamar Joseph (West Indies), CJ King (Rookie)

In: Brandon King (West Indies), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Chris Woakes (England), Marcus Stoinis, (Australia)

Out: Kyle Mayers (West Indies), Keemo Paul (West Indies), Reece Topley (England), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Tony de Zorzi, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Richard Gleeson (England), Ashton Agar (Australia)

Possible XI: King, Breetzke, De Kock, Klaasen, Stoinis, Mulder, D Pretorius, Maharaj, Woakes/Noor, Dala, Naveen

Analysis: Durban have the batting power. But they need nous, smarts or meanness in the field to get them over the line. So have the runners-up addressed their bowling group to bridge the gap? Not really unless Chris Woakes makes the difference. The signing of Kane Williamson is just bizarre in that context and wastes an overseas option for an outstanding pacer or spinner.

Joburg Super Kings 9/25.50

24-23 finishes: PO-SF
2-year Batting run rate rank: 5
2-year Bowling economy rank: 5
2-year Top bat % high: L Du Plooy 42.1
2-year Top bowler % high: L Williams 45.4

Squad: Faf Du Plessis, Moeen Ali (England), Jonny Bairstow (England), Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka), Devon Conway (New Zealand), Gerald Coetzee, David Wiese (Namibia), Leus Du Plooy (England), Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Imran Tahir, Sibonelo Makhanya, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wihan Lubbe, Evan Jones, Doug Bracewell (New Zealand), JP King (Rookie)

In: Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka), Jonny Bairstow (England), Devon Conway (New Zealand), Tabraiz Shamsi (from Paarl Royals)

Out: Dayyaan Galiem (traded to Paarl Royals), Reeza Hendricks (MICT), Kyle Simmonds, Aaron Phangiso, Sam Cook (England), Zahir Khan (Afghanistan), Romario Shepherd (West Indies), Wayne Madsen (Italy/England), Ronan Herrmann, Doug Bracewell (New Zealand)

Possible XI: Du Plessis, Bairstow/Conway, Du Plooy, Lubbe/Moeen, Du Plooy, Ferriera, Jones, Coetzee, Theekshana, Williams, Burger, Tahir

Analysis: On two-year form a big improvement is required with bat and ball. Jonny Bairstow and Devon Conway are on the downward curve and aren't smart deals. Maheesh Theekshana is the opposite with the ball, though. Expecting Faf Du Plessis to keep going to the well isn't inspiring. Add in Imran Tahir and Moeen Ali and this lot are something of a Dad's Army.

MI Cape Town 16/54.20

24-23 finishes: 6-6
2-year Batting run rate rank: 4
2-year Bowling economy rank: 6
2-year Top bat % high: Riickleton 40
2-year Top bowler % high: Rabada 22.2

Squad: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult (New Zealand), Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Nuwan Thushara (Sri Lanka), Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Rassie van der Dussen, Thomas Kaber, Chris Benjamin (England), Corbin Bosch, Colin Ingram, Reeza Hendricks, Dane Piedt, Tristan Luus (Rookie).

In: Trent Boult (New Zealand), Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks

Out: Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Grant Roelofsen, Nealan van Heerden, Sam Curran (England), Liam Livingstone (England), Olly Stone (England), Tom Banton (England), Kieron Pollard (West Indies)

Possible XI: Rickleton, Hendricks, Brevis, van der Dussen, Potgieter/Esthuizen, Omarzai, Linde, Rashid, Bosch, Rabada, Boult

Analysis: MI Cape Town are short on batters and one has to question their squad building. Again. They have struggled for balance and identifying player roles in the two years this tournament has been running.

Reeza Hendricks is a good domestic pick-up but they needed some overseas sparkle considering they are so well stocked with the ball. Ben Stokes was supposed to be that pick but few who follow T20 would have classed him as an outstanding batter in the format.

They just have an air of a franchise that doesn't reallly know what it's doing. Which is fair because in the last two editions they haven't. They can improve but it's a big leap for them to go all the way.

Paarl Royals 13/27.50

24-23 finishes:PO-SF
2-year Batting run rate rank: 6
2-year Bowling economy rank: 2
2-year Top bat % high: Miller 19
2-year Top bowler % high: Phehlukwayo 38.4

Squad: David Miller, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Sam Hain (England), Joe Root (England), Dinesh Karthik (India), Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Van Buuren, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Andile Phehlukwayo, Codi Yusuf, John Turner (England), Dayyaan Galiem, Jacob Bethell (England), Rubin Hermann, Dewan Marais (Rookie).

In: Joe Root (England), Dinesh Karthik (India), Jacob Bethell (England), Sam Hain (England), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Dayyaan Galiem (from Joburg Super Kings)

Out: Dane Vilas, Tabraiz Shamsi (traded to Joburg Super Kings), Ferisco Adams, Evan Jones, Wihan Lubbe (Joburg), Jos Buttler (England)

Possible XI: Galiem/Pretorius, Root, Bethell, Hain, Miller, Karthik, Phehlukwayo, Fortuin, Peter, Ngidi, Maphaka

Analysis: Paarl have for two years not quite scored runs quickly enough. So it is a hammer blow to lose Jos Buttler. Perhaps unsurprisingly they have been punch drunk when making decisions and haven't actually got a specialist opener in the squad.

For that reason, they may gamble with all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem, who has been signed from Joburg, as a pinch-hitter. Otherwise 18-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius may open with Joe Root, who does not thrive in T20. Root will not be available for the play-offs and Bethell will need to be in India from January 22. Wihan Lubbe is a major loss too, with bat and ball. The bowling unit is strong but it is hard to argue that the odds are wrong.

Pretoria Capitals 10/34.33

24-23 finishes: PO-SF
2-year Batting run rate rank: 2
2-year Bowling economy rank: 3
2-year Top bat % high: Jacks 37.5
2-year Top bowler % high: Parnell 31.2

Squad: Anrich Nortje, Jimmy Neesham (New Zealand), Will Jacks (England), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan), Liam Livingstone (England), Will Smeed (England), Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell, Senuran Muthusamy, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Steve Stolk, Tiaan van Vuuren, Marques Ackerman, Evin Lewis (West Indies), Kyle Simmonds, Keagan Lion-Cachet (Rookie).

In: Will Smeed (England), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan), Liam Livingstone (England)

Out: Theunis de Bruyn, Adil Rashid (England), Phil Salt (England), Shane Dadswell, Colin Ingram, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Boast, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Hardus Viljoen, Jacques Snyman, Colin Ackermann (Netherlands).

Possible XI: Jacks, Gurbaz, Rossouw, Lewis/Livingstone, Verreynne, Neesham, Muthusamy, Parnell, van Vuuren, E Bosch, Nortje

Analysis: A bit like Paarl, Pretoria are reeling from the loss of an England opener. Phil Salt is not coming back this year so a lot rests on the admittedly broad shoudlers of Will Jacks. Jacks is a great man of the match bet considering he is dangerous with the ball, too. He is not named in the squad for England's white ball tour of India so will be available for the whole shebang.

Liam Livingstone will depart and may only play five games. Capitals were a fancy to go well last season but a play-off spot was all they could manage. It could be a missed opportunity but, unlike other teams, they don't need a huge improvement to morph into a title winner.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape 9/25.50

24-23 finishes: Winner-Winners
2-year Batting run rate rank: 3
2-year Bowling economy rank: 1
2-year Top bat % high: Markram 18
2-year Top bowler % high: Baartman 50

Squad: Aiden Markram, Zak Crawley (England), Roelof van der Merwe (Netherlands), Liam Dawson (England), Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Beyers Swanepoel, Caleb Seleka, Tristan Stubbs, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Craig Overton (England), Tom Abell (England), Simon Harmer, Andile Simelane, David Bedingham, Okuhle Cele, Richard Gleeson (England), Daniel Smith (Rookie).

In: Roelof van der Merwe (Netherlands), Zak Crawley (England), Craig Overton (England), David Bedingham

Out: Sarel Erwee, Aya Gqamane, Adam Rossington (England), Temba Bavuma, Dawid Malan (England), Daniel Worrall (Australia/England)

Possible XI: Hermann, Crawley, Abell, Markram, Stubbs, Jansen, Dawson, C Overton, Harmer, Kruger, Baartman

Analysis: No franchise team has ever won three titles in a row. It's a fact that could put many off backing Sunrisers at odds which are, quite frankly, insulting. The question when perusing the markets for this tournament should be: who can stop SEC? That's because they again appear to have the best balance and smarts to get the job done.

Roelof van der Merwe, a sensation in 2023, is back. Tristan Stubbs is even better than last year. And, best of all, there's no Temba Bavuma.

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