Cape Town - Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced that AB de Villiers will take part in this year's Mzansi Super League.
That was confirmed on Monday as the six franchise names were unveiled at a function in Johannesburg.
De Villiers will play for the Tshwane Spartans and he will be joined by Hashim Amla (Durban Heat), Faf du Plessis (Paarl Rocks), Kagiso Rabada (Jozi Stars), JP Duminy (Cape Town Blitz) and Imran Tahir (Nelson Mandela Bay Giants) as the Proteas marquee players.
More big names, including the overseas-based players, are expected to be announced soon.
West Indies stars Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, Afghanistan spin sensation Rasheed Khan and the England trio of Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan have also been included.
The tournament is set to take place from November 16 to December 16 with the player draft scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
The Proteas, meanwhile, travel to Australia at the end of this month for three ODIs and a T20I.
The final ODI is scheduled for November 11 while there is a lone T20I on November 17 - the day after the start of the local tournament.
"It was a thorough and well audited process that led to the six winning bids from our Members as well as the collective contribution from all stakeholders involved that led to the final names and logos which we also had to make sure met our objectives for this event," said Cricket South Africa CEO, Thabang Moroe.
"What was clear throughout this definitive process was that these are completely new entities and names that will operate separately from the current franchise teams. We welcome the six new additions to the South African and international cricket family.
"We have received applications from over 200 top international players who expressed interest in playing in this inaugural tournament and will have their names in the hat ahead of the Player Draft process for this Wednesday.
"There were expected challenges in the process, of course, with some players available for a particular period because of other cricket commitment clashes elsewhere, including our Proteas, who also have to fulfil our tour to Australia for a One-Day International series."
The best of the best of South African talent is on board for the #MSLT20 with Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy confirmed as the Proteas marquee players pic.twitter.com/dG5rQ2thgD
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
The first #MSLT20 international marquee player is top ranked T20 bowler, Rashid Khan of Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/W6IkN531WQ
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
T20 living legend Chris Gayle is in. Which #MSLT20 team do you think will scoop the master blaster? pic.twitter.com/dR75PTxLxQ
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
All-rounder and entertainer, Dwayne ‘DJ’ Bravo will bring his flair to the #MSLT20 come November! pic.twitter.com/ufIUTEJWrU
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
A regular in the world’s biggest T20 leagues, English star batsman Jason Roy will be looking to show is fire power in the #MSLT20 pic.twitter.com/npbZ22VQMx
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
England’s T20 captain, Eoin Morgan has scored the most runs for his country in T20 cricket. He’ll be looking to keep up this stellar record in the #MSLT20 pic.twitter.com/veULb9ew2Z
— Mzansi Super League (@MSL_T20) October 15, 2018
Exciting times coming up in the @MSL_T20. The Proteas marquee players are:@amlahash - Durban Heat@KagisoRabada25 - Jozi Stars@ABdeVilliers17 - Tshwane SpartansImran Tahir - Neson Mandela Bay Giants@jpduminy21 - Cape Town Blitz@faf1307 – Paarl Rocks#MSLT20 pic.twitter.com/CQAnmBppHY
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) October 15, 2018