The all-rounder plays for the Mumbai Indians sister franchise in SA20 and the MLC.
Known to be one of the best scouting teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Mumbai Indians will firmly have their eyes set on Delano Potgieter. The South African all-rounder has displayed his potential in franchise leagues all over the world. The Mumbai Indians would certainly have Potgieter in the MI target list for the upcoming IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi.
The 29-year-old hard turned out to be a vital cog in the South Africa A side, currently engaged in the ODI series against India A in Rajkot. Walking in to bat with the team struggling at 53/5 in the 12th over, Potgieter had his task cut out. His immediate job was to steady the ship and stitch a compelling partnership. The Protea all-rounder did exactly that.
Additionally, Potgieter went on to score a composed 90, which had class written all over it. Along with Dian Forrester, who himself scored a valiant 73, Potgieter stitched a 113-run stand, which was instrumental in resurrecting South Africa A’s innings towards a competitive total. The visitors had a dismal start to the campaign, losing their first three wickets with just one run on the board.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, Potgieter would be on the minds of the Mumbai Indians management, considering his all-round ability. He has scored 259 runs in 23 games for the franchise in SA20, averaging a healthy 37. To add to that, he has also been handy with the ball, with an economy of 7.91 in T20s.
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On paper, he surely can. But looking at the Mumbai Indians squad practically, Delano Potgieter would be on the backseat in terms of being on the MI Target list for IPL 2026. With skipper Hardik Pandya already in a similar role, the five-time IPL winners are on the verge of roping in Shardul Thakur from the Lucknow Super Giants.
Having said that, the lower middle-order is completely packed for the Mumbai Indians, with Naman Dhir and Mitchell Santner taking those spots. Hence, though Potgieter would surely be watched from close quarters, the 29-year-old is less likely to be picked by the franchise ahead of the next edition of the IPL.
That being said, his numbers in domestic cricket showcase a lot of promise. Knowing the Mumbai Indians management, the franchise has had a history of taking players under the roof and grooming them well for few years. This is where Potgieter can be a bit hopeful of the franchise picking him in the IPL 2026 auction. All said and done, the 29-year-old would continue to impress in the SA20 and also the Major Cricket League (MLC), in which he was a replacement for Azmatullah Omarzai.
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