SA20: Liam Livingstone set to play for Pretoria Capitals
What's the story
Liam Livingstone, the 31-year-old all-rounder from England, is set to join the Pretoria Capitals for the upcoming season of SA20. This move marks a shift from his previous team, MI Cape Town. Despite battling a knee injury for over a year, Livingstone featured in all round-robin matches for MI Cape Town last season. Livingstone is one of the cleanest and fearsome strikers in T20 cricket.
Performance review
Livingstone's performance and injury struggles
During his tenure with MI Cape Town, Livingstone amassed 109 runs at an average of just over 12. He struck at a paltry 104.81 with the best score of 26. Livingstone also snapped up three wickets with his leg spin. The English all-rounder's performance was hampered by a persistent knee injury that had been troubling him for the past 18 months.
Comeback trail
Road to recovery and return to form
The knee injury forced Livingstone to withdraw early from the Indian Premier League and focus on his recovery ahead of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He has been playing "pain-free" again after taking anti-inflammatory injections. This has led to a resurgence in his batting run. He fared well for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred and Lancashire in England's T20 Blast.
New journey
Livingstone's excitement about joining Pretoria Capitals
Livingstone expressed his enthusiasm about joining Pretoria Capitals on X. Notably, the 31-year-old will be teaming up with fellow England cricketer, Will Jacks at the Capitals. The SA20 2025 will begin on January 9, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town clashing in the opener. The final will take place on February 8, 2025, at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.