Three-time Betway SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have signalled their intent after unveiling Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain as their overseas pre-signings ahead of the competition’s fifth season. The two headline a settled Sunrisers squad that has retained the nucleus of the side which has dominated SA’s premier T20 competition, lifting the trophy in three of the four editions under the guidance of head coach Adrian Birrell.Former Australia white-ball captain Marsh is set to make his SA20 debut after years as one of the world’s premier T20 all-rounders, while Hossain arrives as one of Bangladesh’s most exciting white-ball bowlers and adds another attacking spin option to an already formidable squad.Marsh, 34, brings a wealth of experience from the international and global franchise circuits. He has amassed more than 7,400 runs in nearly 300 career T20 matches at a strike rate approaching 147, while also claiming more than 100 wickets. At the other end of the career spectrum, Hossain has emerged as one of Bangladesh’s brightest white-ball prospects. The 24-year-old leg-spinner has taken 80 wickets in just 62 T20 appearances at an average of just over 21 and a strike rate of fewer than 16 balls per wicket. The Gqeberha-based franchise has retained 15 players from last season’s title-winning campaign, including SA20 Player of the Season Quinton de Kock, Proteas internationals Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Matthew Breetzke, Anrich Nortjé, Senuran Muthusamy and Lutho Sipamla.They will again be joined by overseas campaigners Adam Milne and Lewis Gregory, while Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, James Coles, Mitchell van Buuren and brothers JP and CJ King have also been retained as the Sunrisers continue to place their faith in a settled group.54 runs off just 24 balls. Mitch Marsh is playing PHENOMENAL cricket.#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/Ki3MTH1c1F— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 4, 2026 The only departures from last season’s squad are Tharindu Rathnayake, Jonny Bairstow, Beyers Swanepoel, Chris Green and Chris Wood.The retention and pre-signing window, which closed on Tuesday, allows franchises to secure the core of their squads before the player auction on October 7.Having retained 15 players and added Marsh and Hossain, the Sunrisers have just two places left to fill before launching their title defence against the Pretoria Capitals at St George’s Park on January 17.While the Sunrisers have opted for continuity, the rest of the league has also strengthened significantly ahead of the new season.England Test captain Joe Root will return to Paarl Royals, while England all-rounder Sam Curran has switched to Durban’s Super Giants to join Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Jos Buttler and Sunil Narine.Pretoria Capitals have welcomed back explosive England wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt after his stint away from the competition and have also secured Australian opener Matthew Short.MI Cape Town have lured England all-rounder Will Jacks from the Capitals, while Joburg Super Kings have strengthened their ranks with the addition of West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder.Only 19 squad places remain available across the six franchises ahead of the October 7 auction. MI Cape Town and Joburg Super Kings have the most work to do with six vacancies each, Pretoria Capitals have five places to fill, while Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals have already completed their 19-man squads.With the core of their championship-winning squad intact and two high-profile overseas additions strengthening an already settled outfit, the Sunrisers will again head into the new campaign as the team everyone else must catch. Additional reporting by SA20 Media