SAT20 Team-by-team Guide and Tips: Backing 9/2 Pretoria is a Capital idea

• Top-two finish key

• Play-offs replace semi-finals

• Limited ILT20 player churn

• Top-bat/bowler data minimum eight games

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Durban Super Giants 5/16.00

2023 finish: 5th
Batting run rate rank: 2
Bowling economy rank: 6
Top bat % high: Klaasen 56
Top bowler % high: Pretorius 37.5

Squad: Quinton de Kock, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Mayers, Naveen-ul-Haq, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Reece Topley, Jon-Jon Smuts, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Keemo Paul, Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaassen, Wiaan Mulder, Noor Ahmad, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Nicholas Pooran

Possible XI: De Kock, Breetzke, Pooran, Klaasen, Rajapaksa, Mulder, D Pretorius, Maharaj, Topley, Subrayen, Naveen

Analysis: They boast decent domestic strength-in-depth with batting all-rounder JJ Smuts and pacer Junior Dala not making our XI. Nic Pooran is expected to leave for the ILT20 but Kyle Mayers and Keemo Paul are decent options. There are availability issues with noor Ahmad and Naveen-ul-Haq.

Don't be surprised if Quinton de Kock spends some time in the middle order again. There's very little difference between them in terms of personnel in this tournament and it could be argued their batting power should guarantee a play-off spot.

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Joburg Super Kings 7/24.50

2023 finish: 2nd
Batting run rate rank: 6
Bowling economy rank: 1
Top bat % high: Du Plooy 50
Top bowler % high: n/a

Squad: Faf du Plessis, Gerald Coetzee, Moeen Ali, David Wiese, Sam Cook, Zahir Khan, Leus du Plooy, Reeza Hendricks, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Aaron Phangiso, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Simmonds, Wayne Madsen, Romario Shepherd, Dayyaan Galiem, Ronan Herrmann, Imran Tahir

Possible XI: Du Plessis, Hendricks, Moeen, Du Plooy, Ferreira, Wiese/Galiem, Shepherd, Coetzee, Phangiso, Burger, Williams

Analysis: Moeen Ali, Wayne Madsen and David Wiese have been brought in to improve their run rate issues. Reeza Hendricks' strike rate of 108 last term was nowhere near good enough. Surely he improves this time.

The absence of Maheesh Theekshana means they might not be as tight with the ball. Leus Du Plooy has the potential to be your go-to bet every week on the tops if the price is right. They look set up for big death-over runs with the bat. We're not sure they're the right favourites.

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MI Cape Town 7/24.50

2023 finish: 6th
Batting run rate rank: 5
Bowling economy rank: 5
Top bat % high: Brevis 40
Top bowler % high: Rabada 38

Squad: Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Rassie van der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Olly Stone, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer, Chris Benjamin, Nealan van Heerden, Thomas Kaber, Connor Esterhuizen, Kieron Pollard

Possible XI: Brevis, Rickleton, van der Dussen, Roelofsen, Livingstone, Pollard, S Curran, Linde, Archer, Rabada, B Hendricks

Analysis: Bottom last year, Cape Town lost all balance and sense of giving players a role. They seemed to have a different batting order each week. Consistency in selection is key. Player churn their greatest enemy.

In terms of ability they should be favourites. Kieron Pollard replacing Rashid Khan as skip is a tick after he led the franchise to success in the US. They're likely to be firm favourites if they make the top two.

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Paarl Royals 4/15.00

2023 finish: 4th
Batting run rate rank: 4
Bowling economy rank: =3
Top bat % high: Buttler 55
Top bowler % high: Fortuin 30

Squad: David Miller, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Jason Roy, Andile Phelukwayo, Dane Vilas, Bjorn Fortuin, Mitchell van Buuren, Wihan Lubbe, Codi Yusuf, Evan Jones, Fabian Allen, Ferisco Adams, John Turner, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Lorcan Tucker

Possible XI: Buttler, Roy, Lubbe, Vilas, Miller, van Buuren, Phehlukwayo, Jones, Allen/Fortuin, Shamsi, Ngidi

Analysis: Paarl pipped Durban on run rate for a last-four spot. Their lack of batting power here will mean that a repeat would be a good result. They appear too reliant on a potentially-exhaustaed Jos Buttler. David Miller top scored once last term so bear that in mind. We're wary about that Bjorn Fortuin top bowler data as he's had to remodel his action.

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Pretoria Capitals 9/25.50

2023 finish: Runners-up
Batting run rate rank: 1
Bowling economy rank: =3
Top bat % high: Salt 30
Top bowler % high: Nortje 27

Squad: Migael Pretorius, Anrich Nortje, Jimmy Neesham, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Senuran Muthusamy, Wayne Parnell, Theunis de Bruyn, Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell, Corbin Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Kyle Verreynne, Matthew Boast, Paul Stirling, Phil Salt, Steve Stolk

Possible XI: Jacks, Salt, Rossouw, de Bruyn, Verreynne, Neesham, Parnell, Bosch, Pretorius, Rashid, Dupavillon

Analysis: Won the ladder but lost the final. They have added Kyle Verreyenne to the middle order which could well have solved a major weakness. Alternatively Paul Stirling bats at No 3 and an overseas bowler comes out. Will Jacks, who didn't complete the season, topped three times in seven.

Anrich Nortrje (20 wickets last term) is unlikely to be fit with Daryn Dupavillon signed as a replacement. His T20 record is almost identical to Nortje's in terms of economy and strike rate, though. This might be the one wrong price but not by much.

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Sunrisers Eastern Cape 9/25.50

2023 finish: Winners
Batting run rate rank: 3
Bowling economy rank: 2
Top bat % high: Rossington 30
Top bowler % high: Baartman 29

Squad: Aiden Markram, Ottniel Bartman, Dawid Malan, Liam Dawson, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Sisanda Magala, Brydon Carse, Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Jordan Hermann, Aya Gqamane, Adam Rossington, Tom Abell, Craig Overton, Caleb Seleka, Beyers Swanepoel, Andile Simelane, Simon Harmer

Possible XI: Rossington, Malan, Hermann, Markram, Stubbs, Abell, Jansen, C Overton/Dawson, Carse, Magala, Baartman

Analysis: We're worried about Temba Bavuma and 22-year-old Jordan Hermann causing a go-slow up front. If they insist on picking the former, they may well have issues.

With the ball they've lost leading wicket-taker Roelof van der Merwe but Liam Dawson and Simon Harmner are handy. They may be better placed this term in terms of squad depth.

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*Read Ed's Big Bash Analysis here