Faf hopes SA20 helps restore public faith in local cricket amid 'dark times'

Former Proteas captain Faf du Plessis hopes the inaugural SA20 will restore the South African public's faith in local cricket.

The SA20 gets under way at Newlands Cricket Ground on Tuesday, with MI Cape Town hosting Paarl Royals in a Western Cape derby. 

The inaugural season will feature 33 matches as six co-owned Indian Premier League (IPL) teams vie for R70 million. There will be a week break to fit in the Proteas' three-match ODI series against England. 

Du Plessis was pre-signed for the Joburg Super Kings, as he returns to the Super Kings brand after being part of the IPL title-winning Chennai Super Kings for over eight years.

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Du Plessis, who retired from Test cricket in 2021, has had to witness the Proteas' disastrous tour to Australia this season, along with the rest of the South African public.

A formidable Australian outfit outplayed Dean Elgar's Test side as South Africa lost the three-match Test series 2-0.

The Proteas top-order batters were placed under scrutiny as they dropped down the World Test Championship reckoning.

Furthermore, the Proteas' Cricket World Cup berth still needs to be confirmed as they need to qualify for October's one-dayer showpiece in India.

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Du Plessis will lead the Joburg Super Kings ahead of their opening encounter against the Durban Super Giants on Wednesday at Kingsmead.

Despite the Proteas men's national side being in a dark spot, Du Plessis feels the SA20 can only benefit the game and players in South Africa.

"First and foremost, South Africa is using this competition to grow and there's no doubt that adding world-class players like Rashid Khan and