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After registering their second loss of the SA20 2024 campaign against Durban's Super Giants on Friday, Paarl Royals are up against the same opponent on Sunday for the reverse fixture. 

The Royals would've hoped to strengthen their position as table-toppers with a win in their previous match, but it wasn't to be as a visiting Super Giants side got the better of the home team at Boland Park. On the points table though, both teams are still neck and neck with a 1-point difference. 

The Coach's Message...

A 57-run loss is a tough pill to swallow, especially when you've been in great form. It's even worse when it comes at your home ground, where you have dominated proceedings for the most part. However, an upbeat Head Coach in Shane Bond was loud and clear about the kind of faith he has in the team, and it will very well serve as motivation when the Royals hit the ground come Sunday. 

Match Details

Match 22: Durban's Super Giants vs Paarl Royals
Where: Kingsmead, Durban
When: January 27 2024
What time: 7 PM IST/3:30 PM local time

About Kingsmead, Durban

Durban, a city where people love their beaches, surfing and some high-octane dose of cricket entertainment. Located just around the ocean and in the city centre, the Kingsmead stadium is an eclectic mix of modern and traditional sportswatchers, with grass embankments offering a laidback vibe - perfect for an evening of a T20 cricket game. That is, if the rain gods allow. As they say in Durban, if you want rain, all you have to do is organise a cricket match! However, the forecast suggests it will be a cooler evening with slight clouds hovering as the game goes on. 

A total of 144 T20 matches have been played at this venue, with the average first-innings score being 153/7. On 71 occasions, teams batting first have ended up winning the match. But in the last 10 games, that number has changed, with chasing teams winning on 6 such instances. The average first-innings score has also gone up to 172/7. Kingsmead is undoubtedly a fast bowler's dream, with pacers accounting for as many as 985 wickets in 243 innings here. 

Royal to Watch

With 12 wickets in 7 games, pacer Lungi Ngidi is ruling the wicket charts this SA20 season. He is also now the leading wicket-taker in the history of the tournament, with 23 scalps to his name. However, he is coming off a rare off day against the Super Giants and will be raring for a stronger comeback in his next one. 

Most wickets in SA20

Bowler Wickets
Lungi Ngidi 23
Roelof van der Merwe 20
Anrich Nortje 20
Reece Topley 20
Ottneil Baartman 20

 

Team News

Captain Miller returned to the Playing XI in a straight swap with wicketkeeper Dane Vilas in the previous encounter. "The calf is strong", he said, reassuringly, at the post-match presentation, which is a positive news his team needs at the moment. The Royals are known not to tinker with their already set combination, unless there's an absolute need to do so. Whether a loss in the last match will propel them to test their bench strength remains to be seen. 

Upcoming Milestones

  • This will be Jos Buttler's 400th T20 match
  • Andile Phehlukwayo needs 4 boundaries for 100 T20 boundaries
  • David Miller is 1 50+ score away for 50 50+ T20 scores