Paarl Royals have secured former England captain Joe Root as one of their new overseas signings ahead of SA20 2025. Root is set to make his SA20 debut in the upcoming edition of the league.
This isn’t Root’s first association with a Royals franchise. Back in 2023, IPL team Rajasthan Royals (RR) offered him his first contract in the league. Root played three matches for RR, scoring 10 runs. Although RR did not retain him for the 2024 season, he will now don the Paarl Royals jersey in SA20 2025.
Announcing his arrival, Paarl Royals posted an edited picture of Root with the text ‘Royal Again’. The social media team captioned the post:
“From England to South Africa, cricket’s favorite reverse scoop is coming home.”
Root brings with him a wealth of T20 experience. However, he is no longer a first-choice pick in England’s T20I team, with his last appearance coming on May 5, 2019, against Pakistan at Sophia Gardens.
“We are Looking Forward to Using His Expertise, His Personality, His Brains” – Kumar Sangakkara on Joe Root Joining Paarl Royals
Royals’ Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, praised Joe Root and welcomed him to the Paarl team. Speaking in a media release, Sangakkara said:
“We all know what a phenomenal player Joe Root is, and to have him back at the Royals is a great feeling. As we saw during IPL 2023 and over the years, he is also a great team man, and has the ability to help his teammates develop both on and off the field. We are looking forward to using his expertise, his personality, his brains, and also his performances on the field to strive towards a successful SA20 season in 2025.”
SA20 will begin on January 9, 2025, in South Africa. Paarl Royals have yet to qualify for the final in any of the two seasons played so far. It will be interesting to see if Root’s arrival changes the team’s fortunes.
