Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Paarl Royals Match Highlights & Results

The 2025/26 SA20 Final is set. It will be a rematch of Qualifier 1 as Pretoria Capitals take on Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the picturesque Newlands in Cape Town. The final will be played on Sunday, the 25th of January and will begin at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT). However, you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

James Coles wins the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his all-round performance. He says it came better than he expected but happy to help the team. Shares that he got to see how the pitch was playing and luckily, it came for him with the ball. Mentions that it was pretty good to watch Senuran Muthusamy bowl and go through his business. Ends by appreciating the support from the SEC followers.

Tristan Stubbs, the captain of Sunrisers Eastern Cape, says that he is really proud of the boys and the group, as a whole, did really well today. Adds that they would have bowled first because they were unsure about how the pitch would play and they bowled really well. Goes on to applaud the bowling unit and says that whoever came on to bowl did a fine job. Mentions that the way they approached the chase was good to see. Adds that they have had a great month on and off the field and that's what got them to another final.

The Presentation ceremony...

Dan Lawrence of Paarl Royals says the pitch was dry and hopes he could have scored more runs. Mentions it was hard to control on that kind of pitch. Kyle Verreynne played a brilliant innings. With the ball, they tried a few things but it didn't work. Admits that if they were told that they would be playing semi-finals after getting all out for 49, they would be really happy.

A tough pill to swallow for the Royals but 3 big games in the space of just 5-6 days and playing two knockout games on back-to-back days has taken its toll on the team. Kyle Verreynne was the lone star with the bat and his half-century was the difference between a score of under 100 and the final score of 114. With the ball, Bjorn Fortuin tried his best and got wickets up top but they were taken aback by the sheer aggression of the SEC batters, who never took their foot off the pedal and got the job done in just 11.4 overs. Let's now hear from the Royals' skipper...

It was a dominant performance from start to finish from the Sunrisers and Tristan Stubbs' troops have cantered into the final. The pitch will be the main talking point but the way SEC started with the ball and the way spinners followed it up in the middle phase was special. With the bat, Quinton de Kock came out all guns blazing and set the tone. The batters kept going hard at the bowlers even when the wickets started to fall, as they knew regular boundaries would come in handy. James Coles was the star with an unbeaten 45 off just 19 balls and it was a complete performance from the two-time SA20 champions.

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE ARE THROUGH TO THE FINAL. A record fourth successive final for SEC in the SA20 and they have now managed to make it through to every single final in the competition so far.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius to James Coles, Six!SIX! GAME OVER with more than 8 overs to spare! Tossed up, full and around off, James Coles slog-sweeps it over mid-wicket for a biggie. Sunrisers Eastern Cape win by 7 wickets and are into the finals.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius to James Coles, Four!FOUR! Just 4 runs needed now. On a good length, outside off, James Coles leans and crunches it through covers for a boundary.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Flatter delivery, outside off, Breetzke taps it to backward point for a single.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius to Matthew Breetzke, No run.Touch short, outside off, Breetzke guides it to short third man.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius to bowl potentially the final over. Just 9 runs needed.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, 2 runs.Good work in the deep. Flighted ball, full and on middle. James Coles drills it straight back. The fielder at long on runs to his left and slides across to save the boundary. Two taken. SEC need just 9 more to win more.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.One more as Breetzke pushes this full ball to the left of covers.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, 1 run.Flatter one, sliding onto the pads. Coles rocks back and nudges it behind square leg for a run.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, No run.Nagging length on off, Coles presses back to defend.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Flatter delivery on the stumps, Breetzke rocks back and tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, Four!FOUR! Glorious from Breetzke and SEC are running away with it. Tossed up, full and outside off, Matthew Breetzke drills the cover drive past covers and it runs away to the fence, The 100 is now up for SEC.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, Six!SIX! 21 runs off the skipper's over! The game seems to be put to bed. Flighted, full and around off, James Coles quickly gets into position as he slog-sweeps it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Dan Lawrence to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Tossed up, full and around off, Breetzke clips it to square leg for one more.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, 1 run.Flat and on middle and leg, turned to square leg for a snigle.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, 5 Wides!FIVE WIDES! Oh, dear! Paarl Royals can't catch a break! Lands it on middle and turns behind the batter sharply. Coles looks to flick but misses and it rolls past the keeper to the fine leg fence. Bonus runs.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, No run.Pushes it full and outside off, turns in. Coles looks to slog-sweep but misses as the ball turns a bit too much.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, Four!FOUR! AGAIN! Could have been stopped! Fractionally short, around off, Coles gets on his knee and paddles it to deep mid-wicket. The fielder runs to his left and slides but fails to keep it away. A boundary.

Dan Lawrence to James Coles, Four!FOUR! Oh, the fielder puts up his hand straightaway but Paarl Royals just can't afford misfields! Dan Lawrence starts with a shorter delivery, around off, Coles pulls with the spin to deep square leg where the man let's it through his hands for a boundary.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, 1 run.Another single as James Coles flicks this length ball to deep mid-wicket.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Shorter and on off, Breetzke taps it to point for a single. These are easy singles which Paarl Royals should stop it.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, 1 run.Bowls it on a length, outside off, Coles step across and back as he fends it to mid-wicket for a single.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Floats it on leg, fuller length, drilled to long on for a single.

Asa Tribe to Matthew Breetzke, No run.At 90 kph, short and wide, turning in sharply, Breetzke taps it back to Tribe.

Asa Tribe to James Coles, 1 run.Tossed up, full and on middle, Coles flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Sikandar Raza to Matthew Breetzke, Four!FOUR! Effortless from Breetzke! Overpitched, outside off, Breetzke gets underneath and creams it through covers for a boundary. Raza is yet to bowl to his best.

Sikandar Raza to James Coles, 1 run.Sikandar Raza serves a full toss on middle and leg, punched to long on for one more.

Sikandar Raza to James Coles, Four!FOUR! HIT AWAY! A loosener from Raza, short and around off, Coles rocks back and pulls it past mid-wicket for a boundary.

Sikandar Raza to James Coles, No run.Bowls it short, quick and just outside off, Coles goes back and punches it to the left of short mid-wicket. A diving effort to save some crucial runs.

Sikandar Raza to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Darted on the pads, Breetzke flicks it past square leg for a single.

Sikandar Raza to Matthew Breetzke, No run.Touch short, outside off, turning in, this is punched to cover.

Bjorn Fortuin to James Coles, 2 runs.Drifts it too full and down leg, Coles looks to reverse paddle but misses and it rolls off the back pad, past the keeper and to fine leg. Oh, it's given as runs. Two runs are taken.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Pushed through, full and on middle, flicked to mid-wicket for a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, No run.Bowls it flat and slower in the air, around off. Breetzke lunges forward to defend but inside edges it to square leg.

Bjorn Fortuin to James Coles, 1 run.Nicely played! An arm ball, fuller and on leg, Coles reverse sweeps and hits it straight to deep point for a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Holds a bit into the surface, around off, Breetzke chips it past cover for a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, No run.Bjorn Fortuin serves it fuller and around off, angled in. Breetzke half-presses and blocks.

Ottneil Baartman to James Coles, Six!SIX! That's some way to get off the mark. Baartman surprises with a bouncer on middle, it hurries on Coles, who gets his eyes off and pulls his blade across. Connects well and hits it over square leg for a six. Sunrisers Eastern Cape end the Powerplay with 56/3.

STRATEGIC TIME-OUT! This has been a frenetic start to the run chase. The Sunrisers have wiped off 50 runs inside the Powerplay but they have also lost 3 big wickets. They need some sort of stability now, as a couple of more wickets after the break could get them in trouble. The Royals will be hoping more of the same from the bowlers but they don't have many runs to play with now. Here is James Coles now, at number 5 for the Sunrisers.

Ottneil Baartman to Jordan Hermann, OUT! c Dan Lawrence b Ottneil Baartman.OUT! TAKEN! Ottneil Baartman is addicted to wickets this season. Hard length delivery, Baartman brings the line back closer to the off pole, gets it to bounce a bit. Hermann swipes across the line but balloons it high up in the night sky. Dan Lawrence at mid off takes the skier.

Ottneil Baartman to Jordan Hermann, No run.A bit of extra bounce, shorter and outside off, Hermann bends low to cut it away but misses.

Ottneil Baartman to Jordan Hermann, Four!FOUR! Right through the gap! Short in length and gives width outside off, Hermann gets tall and punches it past cover, in the gap and it races away.

Ottneil Baartman to Jordan Hermann, No run.Back of a length delivery, around off, Hermann punches it sweetly but straight to short cover.

Ottneil Baartman to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.A good length delivery, around off, Matthew Breetzke taps it to third man for a single.

Ottneil Baartman is into the attack.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Good length on off, Hermann punches it out into the off side.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Fortuin sees the batter advancing and drags the length back, bowling it at the body. Hermann fails to get it away.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Floated up, on a nagging length and on middle. Hermann blocks it off.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, Four!FOUR! Uppish but in the gap. Fractionally short and outside off, Hermann rocks back and cuts it to the left of the diving point fielder and picks up a boundary.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Flatter delivery, angles away from middle to off. Hermann camps back and tucks it towards mid-wicket.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, 1 run.Flatter one, on off and darts in. Matthew Breetzke stays leg side and punches it through mid off for a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Matthew Breetzke, Wide!WIDE. Flighted ball, a bit full but angled down the leg side.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, No run.Nagging length and on off, this one grips ad turns away a bit. Hermann hangs back to cut but is beaten.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, No run.On a dragged length and outside off, tapped away towards cover.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, No run.Flatter one, bowled full and around off. This is jammed back to the bowler.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, No run.Beaten! Tossed up, full and on off. This one turns away sharply and Hermann is well beaten.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, Four!FOUR! A tad full and just outside off, Hermann presses back again and slaps the ball a bit squarer but through the off side again for a boundary.

Sikandar Raza to Jordan Hermann, Four!FOUR! That's loose from Raza first up. Short and wide to begin with, Jordan Hermann rocks back and crunches it past covers for a boundary.

Bjorn Fortuin has turned things over in a flash. Both the openers have gone. Matthew Breetzke replaces Jonny Bairstow. Also, Sikandar Raza is into the attack.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jonny Bairstow, OUT! lbw b Bjorn Fortuin.OUT! LBW! That looked adjacent and the umpire's finger goes up. Beautifully bowled again by Bjorn Fortuin. This is darted in on middle, it is the arm ball. Jonny Bairstow walks inside the line to block but the ball goes past the inside edge to beat the bat and pings Bairstow on the pads. He doesn't even bother to review and Fortuin has sent both the SEC openers back in the single over.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, 1 run.Short ball down leg, Jordan Hermann rocks back and pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Flatter and around off, dabbed down to short third.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jordan Hermann, No run.Bowled at the stumps, Hermann nudges it to the leg side.

Out goes QDK, in comes Jordan Hermann.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, OUT! b Bjorn Fortuin.OUT! TIMBER! Quinton de Kock just keeps going at the bowlers but has to depart. Bjorn Fortuin shortens the length and flattens it up, firing it in on middle. QDK backs away to pull off the back foot but the ball skids through and goes past the blade to knock over the top of middle stump. End of an entertaining knock.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jonny Bairstow, 1 run.Floated up on a nagging length, turning in. Bairstow stays back and tucks it to square leg for a single.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, No run.Pitched up a bit fuller and around off, de Kock jams it out to covers.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, Four!FOUR! The boundaries just keep flowing from the bat of Quinton de Kock. Full and straight at the stumps, QDK shows the maker's name as he drives it right back and bisects the fielders at mid off and mid on for a boundary.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, Six!SIX! That is unreal from QDK. Full and on leg stump, De Kock just nonchalantly clips it away off the pads and nails it over deep square leg for another biggie.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, Six!SIX! A classic pick-up from de Kock. Just back of a length and angled across off, QDK leans back and slogs it for a 92-metre six over deep mid-wicket.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, No run.Good-length delivery on off, Quinton de Kock stays put and blocks it off.

Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, No run.A full ball around off, de Kock pushes it straight to covers.

13 runs off the first over. Paarl Royals can't afford spinners to go for runs. Hardus Viljoen to bowl from the other end.

Bjorn Fortuin to Jonny Bairstow, Four!FOUR! That's nicely played. Flighted ball on middle, Jonny Bairstow lunges inside the line and laps it down to fine leg for a boundary. 13 off the first over of the chase, a perfect start for SEC.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, 1 run.Tossed up on middle and leg, QDK works it away through backward square leg and picks up a single.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, Four!FOUR! Up and over. Tossed up on middle and leg, Quinton de Kock sits down and goes for the slog sweep and gets a top edge that goes over square leg for a boundary.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, No run.Flatter delivery, QDK looks to step out again but ends up jamming it to mid on.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, Four!FOUR! Tossed up on the stumps, QDK steps down the pitch and slams it back over the bowler's head for the first boundary of the chase.

Bjorn Fortuin to Quinton de Kock, No run.What a lovely start from Fortuin. This is floated up on middle and slides across the left-hander. Quinton de Kock looks to poke but is beaten.

Dan Lawrence is giving some last piece of advice to his teammates. Paarl Royals need to give their best with the ball. Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow to open for Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Spin straightaway, Bjorn Fortuin to bowl first.

...THE CHASE...

Despite the low total, this contest is far from over, as the Paarl Royals possess a spin attack capable of turning the game on its head. With the likes of Sikandar Raza, Bjorn Fortuin and Dan Lawrence ready to exploit the same turn and bounce that troubled their own batters, the Sunrisers cannot afford any complacency. If the Royals can strike early and snatch a wicket or two within the first few overs, the pressure of a knockout game will intensify rapidly. All eyes are now on the new ball to see if Paarl can make life difficult for SEC and mount a miraculous comeback. Stay with us to find out.

Senuran Muthusamy is down for a chat. He says that the surface is a bit two-paced and low-scoring and reckons that they have done well to restrict the opposition to under 120 runs. Reckons that they need to bat smartly to get the job done. On his bowling, he says that he tried to keep things simple and just wanted to roll with the bit of luck he got out there in the middle.

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape delivered a clinical bowling exhibition, perfectly decoding the conditions to keep the Royals under their thumb. While Lutho Sipamla and Marco Jansen set the tone with relentless precision during the opening spells, the game truly shifted once the spinners entered the fray. Senuran Muthusamy was the standout performer, channeling his inner Test player to suffocate the scoring and rip through the middle order. His exceptional three-fer turned the screws on the opposition. Here is the man himself for a quick chat...

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are in the driver’s seat with one foot already in the final. On a treacherous surface where stroke-play felt nearly impossible, the Paarl Royals' top order found themselves completely stifled, collapsing to a dismal 31/3 within the Powerplay. While his teammates struggled to adapt to the conditions, Kyle Verreynne stood as the lone warrior, playing a gritty, anchoring knock that accounted for nearly half of his team’s total. Though the Royals struggled to build momentum, Kyle’s defiance has provided them with a defendable total that might just prove competitive on such a challenging and unpredictable pitch.

Well, the decision to bat first now looms large as a potential turning point, as the Royals have posted a significantly below-par total in this high-stakes knockout match. At the toss, captain Dan Lawrence expressed a desire to set a target despite admitting uncertainty about how the surface would behave. It seems like it was a gamble at this point. While the Royals now face the monumental task of defending a slim margin, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be feeling confident of doing the job.

Anrich Nortje to Kyle Verreynne, No run.Oh, that's an anti-climactic end to the innings. Nortje goes full and fast and bowls it wide outside off. Kyle Verreynne shuffles to the off side and looks for the cheeky scoop but misses and the ball goes through to the keeper. The batters don't even try to sneak in a bye and Paarl Royals end with 114/7 on the board.

Anrich Nortje to Hardus Viljoen, Bye.Back of a length and over middle. Hardus Viljoen swings and misses but the batters scamper through for a bye.

Anrich Nortje to Hardus Viljoen, Wide!WIDE. Oh, that's a tight call. On a good length and wide outside off, Vijloen backs away early and leaves it alone. The umpire signals a wide but DK shakes his head in disagreement.

Anrich Nortje to Hardus Viljoen, Four!FOUR! Wrong length from Nortje again and Hardus Viljoen has hammered that to the fence. Full and around off, Vijloen goes deep in the crease and smacks it through extra cover for a boundary.

Anrich Nortje to Hardus Viljoen, No run.Too hot to handle! Banged in quick and short over middle, Hardus Viljoen looks to pull but is well beaten.

Hardus Viljoen is the next batter in.

Anrich Nortje to Bjorn Fortuin, OUT! c Jordan Hermann b Anrich Nortje.OUT! CAUGHT! That's another brilliant catch in the field and Bjorn Fortuin has to walk back now. Anrich Nortje hammers the ball in on a shortish length and bowls it outside off. Fortuin goes after it but is undone by the steep bounce and gets a top edge over backward point. Jordan Hermann comes charging in from the deep and puts in a big dive to snaffle a brilliant catch with both hands.