Aiden Markram led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a 32-run win in the eliminator playoff in Centurion.

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape beat the Joburg Super Kings by 32 runs in the SA20 eliminator playoff in Centurion on Tuesday.

The back-to-back champions will now meet the Paarl Royals in the second qualifier playoff at the same venue on Thursday.

Captain Aiden Markram’s love affair with the Pretoria ground continued with his 62* off 40 balls (five fours, two sixes) setting up the Sunrisers’ 184-6.

The Super Kings’ run chase stuttered throughout as they slipped to 152-7 in their 20 overs.

The eliminator was virtually decided in two separate overs of each innings.

The Sunrisers’ innings was delicately poised on 149-5 with 12 balls remaining when Markram and Marco Jansen (23* off 12 balls) bashed 29 runs off Lutho Sipamla’s penultimate over.

Sipamla conceded three sixes, two fours and delivered a no-ball to finish with the most expensive figures of 0-72 in SA20 history.

HIGHLIGHTS: Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Joburg Super Kings (SA20)

In contrast, the Super Kings were on track at 91-3 after 12 overs requiring 94 from 48 balls with set batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Wihan Lubbe at the crease.

Markram rolled the dice and opted to bowl out seamer Craig Overton. The decision reaped the desired rewards with Overton sending down a miraculous double-wicket maiden over by dismissing both Lubbe and Moeen Ali as the Super Kings slumped to 91-5.

The Super Kings’ last remaining hope was Bairstow and the Englishman seemed ready for the challenge when he showed great innovation to take two fours and a six off Liam Dawson.

But the left-arm spinner held his nerve to clean bowl his compatriot when Bairstow (37 off 17 balls) attempted another reverse-sweep.

There was no way back for the Super Kings after Bairstow’s dismissal as they were left to contemplate a third playoff defeat in a row.

“Lot of credit to the boys. We haven’t put a complete game of cricket throughout and tonight was the closest we got,” said Markram.

“The bowlers were brilliant, the ball came on even better under lights so lot of credit to our guys. We saw the odd one react differently and that’s why we wanted to wait before using the spinners. It is all about execution on a surface like this.

“It was a tricky one to pace our innings, but we hit a phase where [Tristan] Stubbs and I got into the groove, and then Marco chipped in with a valuable knock.”

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape will face the Paarl Royals in the second qualifier playoff after beating the Joburg Super Kings in the eliminator in Centurion.

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings will meet in the SA20 eliminator playoff  in Centurion on Wednesday.

The winner will face the Paarl Royals in the second playoff qualifier in Centurion on Thursday.

MI Cape Town on Tuesday booked their place in the final with a clinical win against the Royals at St George’s Park.

The eliminator is a rematch of the 2023 semi-final at the same venue when Sunrisers captain Aidan Markram struck a magnificent century to knock out Faf du Plessis’ Joburg Super Kings.

Du Plessis is wary of history repeating itself, but believes they are prepared for the challenge two seasons on.

“I did think about it when I saw the fixture,” Du Plessis said. “What happened then was on that day we got outplayed by a special knock from Aiden. So hopefully it’s a little bit different this time around.”

Du Plessis’ greater concern is “just trying to think of 11 players to get on the park” after all-rounder Donovan Ferreira was ruled out of the knockout clash due to injury.

Ferreira joins a long list of Super Kings – Nandre Burger, Lizaad Williams, Gerald Coetzee, Beuran Hendricks and David Wiese – who have already fallen by the wayside.

“It’s a big loss. For every injury, you definitely feel the weight of the injury. I think from a positive perspective, we’ve lost five bowlers already this season,” Du Plessis said.

“But the guys who have stepped up really have been nothing short of remarkable. Lutho Sipamla and Hardus Viljoen have come in and really stepped up.

“That’s the nature of sport. Unfortunately, injuries do feel like they come at a big cost.

“But on the flip side of it, it creates an opportunity for someone else to either take it or not take it. So those two guys have done a great job of taking the opportunities and similarly, someone will have to step up into the big shoes of Donovan.

“But it’s a great occasion on a great stage. If you make a play in a big match, a knockout stage, it also has great repercussions for that player. So I see it as a great opportunity for someone else.”

The Sunrisers are the double defending champions and have the experience of winning knockout matches. Markram, though, believes this will count for little on the day.

“It’s a completely new game, you don’t walk on to the field thinking you’re ahead because you’ve been in that position before We pride ourselves on winning from any position, we will scrap and try to find a way to win.”

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

Heinrich Klaasen helped Durban’s Super Giants end a disappointing campaign with a win.

Photo: Arjun Singh/Sportzpics

Durban’s Super Giants ended a poor SA20 campaign with an 11-run DLS victory over the Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers on Saturday.

As a result, JSK finish fourth on the log and will face the third-placed Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the eliminator playoff in Centurion on Wednesday.

DSG’s Heinrich Klaasen gave the visiting fans something to cheer about with a blitzkrieg 76* off 47 balls (3×4, 6×6). In the process, he became the first batsman to pass 1,000 runs in SA20.

Klaasen shared two solid partnerships of 64 off 43 balls with Kane Williamson (22) and an unbroken 70 off 43 balls with Wiaan Mulder (30*) to lift DSG to 173-4.

Super Kings seamer Lutho Sipamla once again delivered an impressive four-over spell, of 1-12, which included the big wicket of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.

HIGHLIGHTS: Joburg Super Kings vs Durban’s Super Giants (SA20)

JSK’s run-chase was interrupted by a rain delay that set in at 7:45pm with the hosts on 31-1 after 3.1 overs. When play resumed at 9pm, their innings was reduced to 16 overs with the new target set at 147.

The home team were unable to create any momentum after the restart with DSG leg-spinner Noor Ahmad setting them back with a fantastic spell of 3-25.

DSG also handed rookie CJ King an SA20 debut and the youngster earned his maiden reward when he claimed the scalp of England’s double white-ball world champion Moeen Ali.

But that brought Donovan Ferreira (51 off 22 balls; two fours, five sixes) to the crease and the JSK all-rounder proceeded to smash the fastest half-century of the season off just 21 balls to reduce the target to 17 off the final four deliveries.

DSG all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius held his nerve though by removing Ferreira and Sipamla off successive deliveries to close out the contest.

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

Durban’s Super Giants claimed a consolation win at the Wanderers.

The 2025 SA20 season has reached its final weekend of league matches with all the focus on the battle for the remaining two playoffs spots.

The Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town have secured their berths in the first playoff qualifier at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday.

But who will join them in the playoffs involves a three-way battle between the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (19 points), Joburg Super Kings (19 points) and Pretoria Capitals (14 points).

The Capitals may be trailing by five points, but they have two matches remaining compared to the Sunrisers and JSK’s one.

The Capitals will face an in-form MI Cape Town in both matches, starting with a crucial encounter in Centurion on Friday before heading down to Newlands on Sunday.

A bonus-point victory for the Capitals on Friday will place Kyle Verreynne’s team level on points with SEC and JSK heading into the final round of matches over the weekend.

Defeat for the Capitals and they will be reliant on other results working in their favour to reach the playoffs.

The Sunrisers have a straight shootout with the table-topping Paarl Royals at St George’s Park at 1pm

The defending champions will be hoping the passionate Orange Army inspire them in their final home match of the season to the victory they require that will send them straight into the playoffs.

A Royals victory will leave the Sunrisers’ fate hanging on the results of other matches.

The Joburg Super Kings will meet Durban’s Super Giants at the Wanderers on Saturday evening.

The Super Kings are filled with confidence after inflicting just the second defeat on the Royals this season on Thursday evening and will be eager to continue that momentum against a struggling DSG outfit.

Captain Faf du Plessis is also back in form and will be hoping to lead his team to the playoffs with a straight victory.

The prize these three teams are battling for is a spot in the eliminator on Wednesday in Centurion.

The victor will progress to the second qualifier playoff the following day in Centurion to meet the loser of the first qualifier playoff.

The winner of the first playoff qualifier will face-off against the winner of the second qualifier playoff in the final at the Wanderers on Saturday, 8 February.

Photo: Sportzpics

Faf du Plessis scored 87 as the Joburg Super Kings cruised to victory at the Wanderers.

Photo: Arjun Singh/Sportzpics

The Joburg Super Kings maintained their challenge for a place in the SA20 playoffs with a victory over the table-topping Paarl Royals at the Wanderers on Thursday.

The Super Kings remain in fourth place, but are now level on 19 points with the third-placed Sunrisers Eastern Cape. The defending champions are ahead of the Super Kings based on having earned more bonus points.

Captain Faf du Plessis led the charge with a stroke-filled 87 off 55 balls (four fours, seven sixes) as the Super Kings cruised past the Royals’ 150-9 with seven wickets to spare.

“We needed that,” Du Plessis said. “Was a big game for us to stay in the competition. Really quality chase that. Tricky wicket. Really pleased with the performance all around.”

The major difference between the two sides was the Super Kings’ start with Du Plessis and Devon Conway (20 off 25 balls) compiling a solid 54-run stand for the first wicket to set up the run chase.

In contrast, the Royals lost Sam Hain, who came into the side for the rested Joe Root, off the second ball of their innings.

“Have to be positive in the powerplay and not have a powerplay of 25-30 runs. Always fighting that challenge of wanting to go and putting pressure on the opposition in the first six,” Du Plessis said.

HIGHLIGHTS: Joburg Super Kings vs Paarl Royals (SA20)

Hain was the first of Donovan Ferreira’s three scalps on the night with the Super Kings’ off-spinner finishing with the excellent figures of 3-23. He was ably supported by the impressive Lutho Sipamla (3-19), who now has 11 wickets in the competition.

There were starts for Lhuan-dre Pretorius (19 of 11 balls) and Rubin Hermann (28 off 26 balls), but Dinesh Kartik (53 off 39 balls) was left to fight a lone battle for the Royals with his maiden SA20 half-century.

The Royals were without both Root and captain David Miller, who was at home with his first-born after his wife gave birth yesterday, which provided opportunities to some fringe players.

“The biggest plus I can take out of today is a lot of game time for some players who haven’t played much,” said stand-in Royals skipper Bjorn Fortuin. “Can’t fault the batters for going out and playing their natural game. When conditions are as tough as they were today, someone’s bound to fall.”

The Paarl Royals have already booked their place in the first playoff qualifier against MI Cape Town at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday, 4 February. The winner progresses straight to the final at the Wanderers on Saturday, 8 February.

The Sunrisers, Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals are still battling away for the two remaining playoffs.

The Capitals face a must-win clash against MI Cape Town at Centurion on Friday before the Sunrisers and Paarl Royals clash in Gqeberha on Saturday afternoon at 1pm.

The third and fourth placed sides will face off in the eliminator in Centurion on 5 February before the second qualifier between the eliminator winner and second qualifier loser at the same venue the next day.

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics