SACA Record Breaking 2025 Recap
- S.A.C.A.
- Sep 10
- 4 min read
As the 2025 season draws to a close, SACA can look back on a truly groundbreaking year. From our most expansive fixture list ever to record-breaking performances, major showcase events, and a wave of professional contracts, this has been a season that firmly established SACA as one of the most impactful high-performance cricket environments in the country.
8 New Professional Graduates
This year, SACA celebrated a remarkable eight new graduates who stepped into the professional game:
Vansh Jani – Signed by Warwickshire CCC after an incredible run of form including 159* vs Yorkshire, 156 vs Warwickshire (playing for SACA), and 120* vs Worcestershire.
Aman Rao – Signed by Gloucestershire CCC, a 6'6" seamer whose rise came after a standout performance against Gloucestershire 2nd XI and a rapid increase in pace.
Kam Dhariwal – Destructive top order batter signed by Gloucestershire after impressing in the SACA South West Hub over the winter and scoring 143 vs Derbyshire 1st XI .
Mohammad Rizvi – Aged 27, Rizvi became a powerful symbol of persistence, signing with Kent CCC for the Metro Bank One Day Cup after shining for Kent 2nd XI and previously leading wicket-taker in Tasmania.
Arav Shetty – One of the most flamboyant players in the programme, Arav signed with Lancashire CCC after finishing SACA’s leading run scorer and wicket taker in 2024, highlighted by a record 169 vs Warwickshire.
Amrit Basra – One of SACA's original players from the 2022 cohort, Amrit signed with Derbyshire CCC following strong captaincy and over 2,000 2nd XI runs.
Nikhil Gorantla – Signed by Surrey CCC after multiple 2nd XI hundreds and impressive performances in the MCC YCs and for SACA.
Daz Ahmed – signed with Gloucestershire CCC, having developed within SACA’s South West programme and excelling for the MCC YCs as well as and starring on the Abu Dhabi tour.
Vansh Jani on Tour
These eight players bring the total number of men’s graduates from SACA to 18, with more in the pipeline. Each of their stories is unique, but all share the common thread of potential realised through opportunity, support, and belief.
Preseason Tour to Abu Dhabi
The 2025 season began with a now signature moment in the SACA calendar: the preseason tour to Abu Dhabi. This high-performance training camp and match series provided players with elite-level preparation and included fixtures against multiple county 1st XIs.
Standout moments from the tour included:
A thrilling 2 day win over Essex 1st XI
Close fought games vs Yorkshire and Somerset 1st XIs
A Hattrick from Arafat Bhuiyan
The emergence of several players who would go on to earn professional contracts
The tour also served as a bonding opportunity for the squad and support staff, laying the foundation for the intensity and cohesion that would characterise the season.
MCC x SACA vs Pakistan A
In one of the most prestigious fixtures of the summer, a combined MCC/SACA XI took on Pakistan A at Canterbury. The match was a huge moment for SACA as a programme and a testament to our growing reputation across the cricketing world.
Despite Pakistan A playing a squad full of future and fringe internationals and playing 17 players, the combined team held their own, reducing them to 200-6 and staying competitive throughout. Feroze Khushi stared with the bat scoring 90 showing that there's talent outside the professional circuit that can compete at the highest levels.
A Record-Breaking Fixture Schedule
The 2025 season also saw our biggest summer of cricket ever, with:
57 days of competitive fixtures
3 occasions where we fielded two teams simultaneously
Record W.11 D.4 L.10
These included matches against 1st and 2nd XI opposition from 16 of the 18 first-class counties. The logistical challenge of organising and competing in over 50 days of high-level cricket also allowed more players than ever to benefit from the programme and show what they could do. As such over 40 player represented SACA in 2025 and 24 of which received further trials with counties as a result.
The Remitly Festival at New Road
In one of the most ambitious and high-profile events of the summer, SACA hosted the Remitly T20 Festival
The event featured:
A draft including representatives from The Cricketer (George Dobell) and ESPN Cricinfo (Vithushan Ehantharajah) - SACA Remitly Cup Draft
A T20 round robin tournament with 36 players involved
With Remitly as the headline sponsor the event served as both a celebration of the talent within the programme and a statement of what SACA is building: a platform where excellence, opportunity, and representation meet. Unfortunately the final that was scheduled to be played at Bristol was lost to the weather but next year promises to be bigger and better.
Breaking Records on the Field
On the field, SACA saw several incredible performances that set new records for the programme.
Hishaam Khan broke the all-time SACA individual score record with 173 vs Sussex 2nd XI, surpassing previous highs by Arav Shetty (169), Savin Perera (159), and Vansh Jani (156).
Amrit Basra surpassed 2,000 runs across two seasons.
Thilan Wallawita taking 10-fer on debut vs Warwickshire
Multiple hundreds and five-wicket hauls across all formats showed the growing depth and consistency within the squad.
Hishaam Khan look on at Portland Road
Looking Ahead
With a winter plan expected to be announced in the coming weeks and exciting plans for an expanded women’s programme, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger.
But for now, we reflect with pride on a season where SACA not only competed — but set the standard.
Thank you to all players, staff, sponsors, and supporters who made 2025 unforgettable.
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