These players will represent Benoni Zalmi, T20 Global League fixtures announced

Franchise owner Javed Afridi, head coach Graeme Smith, assistant coach Geoffrey Toyana and team manager Mohammad Akram have put together a balanced squad at the player draft, held in Cape Town over the weekend.

A mini draft was held on Saturday where England’s Jason Roy was drafted in as the Benoni Zalmi’s international marquee player.

The Durban-born batsman could possibly form a formidable partnership at the top of the order alongside Zalmi’s South African marquee player Quinton de Kock.

Roy averages 28.65 with the bat in 154 domestic T20 matches with an impressive strike rate of 145.90 that includes 458 fours and 148 sixes.

His top score is 122 runs not out.

Zalmi fans will be hoping that Roy will add to his 27 fifties and four centuries in T20 domestic cricket.

The 27-year-old’s average with the bat in 22 T20 international matches is 21.45 runs per innings with a top score of 78 runs.

Other notable draft picks include veteran all-rounder Albie Morkel (36), who is no stranger to Sahara Park Willowmoore, Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Umar Akmal, former Actonville Spurs player and former Protea David Wiese, exciting fast bowling talent and Protea Lungi Ngidi and current Protea Dean Elgar.

• The full squad (in draft order): Quinton de Kock (local marquee), Jason Roy (international marquee, England), Albie Morkel (round one), Wahab Riaz (round two, Pakistan), Umar Akmal (round three, Pakistan), Lungi Ngidi (round four), David Wiese (round five), Eddie Leie (round six), Pite van Biljon (round seven), Leus du Plooy (round eight), Dillon du Preez (round nine), Dean Elgar (round ten), Mohammad Nawaz (round 11, Pakistan), George Linde (round 12), Rivaldo Moonsamy (round 13), Calvin Savage (round 14), Carmi le Roux (round 15) and Tshepo Moreki (round 16).

• On Monday, August 28, CSA announced the final fixtures for the tournament.

In all, five different venues will host the opening weekend of matches which will see all eight franchises in action.

There will be double-headers every weekend as well as several midweek as the league holds 57 matches in the space of 44 action-packed days.

There are three built-in rest/travel days, similar to the famous Tour de France cycle race schedule, to give the squads some respite in a tournament that is going to test the endurance of all the squads.

To add to the excitement there is a one-off final between the top two finishers on the log and no opportunity for teams to get in through the back door of an eliminator or qualifier.

Sahara Park Willowmoore will host seven matches during the tournament.

Benoni Zalmi will open their campaign with two away matches versus Pretoria Mavericks in Centurion on Sunday, November 5 and against Cape Town Knight Riders in Cape Town on Tuesday, November 7.

The first home match will see Zalmi take on Durban Qalanders in a day-night game at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Thursday, November 9 at 6.30pm.

The final will take place on December 16 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Full fixtures for the T20 Global League:

T20 GL Fixtures Schedule-ilovepdf-compressed (1)

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