Paarl Royals opener Jos Buttler has pulled out of the upcoming edition of the SA20 due to international commitments. He called it a “shame” and expressed his gratitude to Royals fans in a message on social media on Tuesday, August 6.

The T20 tournament will run from January 9 to February 8, 2025, and England are scheduled to tour India for five T20Is and three ODIs from January 22 to February 12. Buttler is expected to continue as white-ball captain until the 2025 Champions Trophy, making it unlikely for him to leave the team and play in the league matches.

Butler said after his name was withdrawn on Royals’ ex account

“This message is for the fans of Paarl Royals. I am disappointed that I will not be able to play in SA20 2025. My full focus will be there due to some international matches of England. It is a shame that I will not be able to return to the tournament. I love the tournament very much. I love Paarl Royals and especially the fans of Paarl Royals. I wish you all the best for the competition and hope to be able to come back in the future.”

Thank you for everything, Jos the Boss. We’ll miss the scoops, we’ll miss you! pic.twitter.com/OTYR4cfWw2

— Paarl Royals (@paarlroyals) August 6, 2024

Buttler has been one of the best players in SA20, leading the run charts in 2023 with 408 runs at an average of 40.80. His association with the Royals franchise is very deep as he also plays a vital role for Rajasthan Royals during the IPL.

This Indian player will play in place of Jos Butler

According to ESPNcricinfo report, India’s Dinesh Karthik will join the franchise as a foreign player in SA20 2025. Karthik retired from international and IPL after Royal Challengers Bangalore were eliminated in the playoffs of IPL 2024. But he is making a comeback from this league tournament. Jos Buttler gets $500,000 for playing in SA20, i.e. 4 crore 20 lakhs according to Indian currency.