The stage is set for the Qualifier 2 of the SA20 2025, Paarl Royals take on Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the high-octane game. Interestingly, the winner of the game will go on to face MI Cape Town in the summit clash of the competition.
It's the knockout time in the SA20 and first up it's Paarl Royals taking on the MI Cape Town in the first qualifier in Gqeberha. Gqeberha, interestingly, hasn't been a high-scoring venue this year and hence, it might come down to which team applies itself better in tricky conditions.
The third edition of the SA20 is down to its business end with four teams remaining in the competition. MI Cape Town topped the table after Paarl Royals tested their bench strength in the last two games with their captain David Miller unavailable. The two-time champions Sunrisers are also in Top 4.
Fresh off winning the Big Bash League with the Hobart Hurricanes and playing an invaluable role in the title victory with a joint-fastest century of the competition in the final, Mitch Owen, has landed his first overseas T20 league gig with the Paarl Royals for the rest of the SA20.
Pretoria Capitals are breathing down their neck and hence Joburg Super Kings will need to get out of the middle muddle in the ongoing SA20 having won just one out of their last four matches. The Royals, on the other hand, are comfortably placed at the top of the table.
Dinesh Karthik is currently featuring in the ongoing edition of SA20 for Paarl Royals as a wicketkeeper. With his team doing well, Karthik didn't get to bat much in the entire season. However, when he got the opportunity, Karthik scored 21 runs to go past Dhoni and created a massive T20 record.
Durban's Super Giants are in the must-win zone, which they have been for a couple of games in the ongoing SA20, but the Monday game against the Paarl Royals will be the acid test as if they lose this one, the last year's runners-up will be done for the season.
Paarl Royals became the first team to qualify for the playoffs for the 2025 edition of the SA20 after beating the Pretoria Capitals in their seventh encounter of the tournament. Royals have set an example in putting 'horses for courses' to use in style and that helped them achieve a unique feat.
Durban's Super Giants will lock horns with table-toppers Paarl Royals as the two teams on the extremes of the ladder will aim to push their case for a place in the top four. Durban have lost three games and two were abandoned as last year's runners-up have not won a game since January 10.
Paarl Royals have made a substantial turnaround in the SA20 as one more win and the Men in Pink will attain the top spot on the points table. The Royals are coming off pulling off the highest successful chase in SA20 and Jorburg Super Kings will have their task cut out, especially coming off a loss.
Paarl Royals came up short against MI Cape Town's terrific bowling attack in the last game. Having played them already in the ongoing SA20, the Royals will hope to be better equipped to handle MICT as they take them on again in the reverse fixture in Paarl on Wednesday.
MI Cape Town will take on Paarl Royals in their third match of the SA20 on Monday, January 13 in their first home game of the 2025 edition. The Cape Town outfit will have to be wary just a bit from the Royals as the Men in Pink announced themselves in some style with a revamped squad.
Paarl Royals will begin their SA20 2025 campaign on Saturday, January 11 in a day game against the two-time defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape. The Sunrisers suffered a massive 97-run loss to the MI Cape Town in the tournament opener in Gqeberha.
A day after being appointed as SA20 league ambassador, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik signed up with Paarl Royals for the 2025 edition of the tournament as a player. Karthik, who retired from Indian cricket following IPL 2024, is currently working as a commentator in the Hundred.
Both Joe Root and Ben Stokes missed the Indian Premier League 2024 season to focus on red-ball cricket but are set to return to T20 franchise leagues through the SA20 2025. Paarl Royals announce Joe Root's signing months before the start of the third edition of the tournament.
The second edition of the SA20 is proving to be a colossal hit already with just 11 games being played so far. With the matches being close and entertaining and fans coming in numbers, it has been a spectacle that everyone in South Africa just can't get enough of.
Paarl's Boland Park will be hosting Paarl Royals and Pretoria Capitals in the third match of the SA20 2024 on Friday. The Capitals won the last two encounters against the Royals last season but the latter have a home advantage going into this game.
The second edition of the SA20 will kick off on Wednesday, January 10 with the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings. After the success of the inaugural edition and a T20 World Cup to follow a few months later, there are a lot more eyeballs on SA20 this time around.
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