SA20 | Twitter reacts as defending champs Sunrisers dominate final to deliver double with brutal Super Giants thumping

02/11/2024

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Sunrisers Eastern Cape blitzed their way to a second SA20 title on the trot by humiliating Durban's Super Giants in a one-sided clash at Newlands. Rapid knocks from Tom Abell, Tristan Stubbs, and Aiden Markram set the stage for DSG to embarrassingly crumble in the face of a mammoth target of 205.

Brief score: SEC 204/3 (20) [Stubbs 56*(30), Abell 55(34); Maharaj 4-0-33-2] beat DSG 115 (17) [Mulder 38(22), Pretorius 28(17); Jansen 4-0-30-5] by 89 runs

‌Durban's Super Giants managed the first big breakthrough in the summit clash with Reece Topley trapping Dawid Malan plumb in front in the second over. However, Jordan Hermann and Tom Abell sailed past the setback with aplomb, the latter showcasing his streaky best in the last over of the powerplay to take the score to 55/1. The duo matched each other blow for blow to make the team fly past 100 by the halfway mark and leave the Super Giants in dire straits. As has often been the case throughout the season, Keshav Maharaj answered the call in the face of adversity and dispatched the pair striking at 160 in the space of four balls, for scores of 42 and 55 respectively. A brief lull in scoring rates followed but it was only a matter of time before the newly arrived batters Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs got going. Their unbeaten stand of 95 came from just 55 balls, with 59 runs coming in just the last four overs, and included a stunning takedown of Junior Dala in the 18th over that reaped the side 20 runs to eventually set DSG a formidable target of 205 for the SA20 title.

Durban got off to a cagey start in response, managing just six runs in the first two overs, before Daniel Worrall cleaned up Quinton de Kock with a pinpoint yorker and would've made it two in two were it not for Marco Jansen's spilled catch at slip. However, the tall left-armer made up for his sin by scalping Jon-Jon Smuts himself with his first ball of the match in the ensuing over and he did double his tally three balls later with Bhanuka Rajapaksa's wicket. Wiaan Mulder and Matthew Breetzke attempted to stage a recovery thereafter from a score of 7/3, adding 21 runs more in the powerplay but the required run rate had already shot to nearly 13 by that stage. Mulder tried to up the ante with a few big blows, even as his partner took 25 balls to strike a boundary, and eventually succumbed to Jansen plucking a blinder out of the night sky exactly at the 10-over mark. Breetzke followed suit on the ensuing delivery and Heinrich Klaasen registered a golden duck in the same over to practically seal the door shut on DSG's hopes. Dwaine Pretorius provided some entertainment for the sake of it before Jansen read the Super Giants their final rites to secure a fiver for himself and the SA20 trophy for Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

The champions

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF SA20. 🏆
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)

Itan enjoyable game

Kavya Maran enjoying the SA20 Final.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)

A sure pick

Ottniel Baartman‼️🔥🔥🔥🔥

Surely Rob is picking him for our next white ball squads leading up to the T20 WC!
— Lawrence Bailey ⚪ 🇿🇦 (@LawrenceBailey0)

Failed here

SRH player Klaasen smashes everyone in SA20 but flops against Sunrisers.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)

Happy

maran happy annachi
— Raj🌟 (@rajstars)

Picture speaks a lot

When picture speaks harder than many sentences 💥🙌
— Jagannadh Nsk❤️‍🔥🌞 (@Jagannadhnsk24)

Far more attractive

The SA20 has mainly had players from South Africa and England. The ILT20 has had a host of players from around the world. They even have Ambati Rayudu from India

Yet, the appeal of the SA20 has been far more attractive. The vibe, the colour, the package on the whole
— Anand Sachar (@anandsachar29)

Unrealistic performance

Sunrises with their second SA20 title unless an unrealistic, miracle of a performance takes place. Repeat of Q1
— Shrutika Gaekwad (@Shrustappen33)

Done and dusted

Match is done and dusted long back ,

SEC are the winners of SA20 2024.

DSG kept loosing wickets in regular intervals and SEC just capitalised and has fully control of this match
— Balaji Iyengar (@imbalaji007)

One sided final