SA20 2025, Match 2 Review: Super Giants hold their nerve in thrilling start at Kingsmead

With six wickets left in the dugout, the Capitals made the majority of the running after the Super Giants had reached 209/4 with to strong performances from Wiaan Mulder (45 not out off 19 balls) and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (60 not out). However, at that point, the Afghanistan duo of Noor Ahmad (2/34) and Naveen-ul-Haq (1/35) applied pressure, lowering the target to 14 needed from the last six deliveries.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Will Jacks, the Capitals opening pair, had already been decisively removed by Noor, and in the last over, captain Keshav Maharaj also got rid of the threatening Liam Livingstone. With Capitals teenager Steve Stolk on strike, Naveen-ul-Haq had 14 runs to defend in the last over.

After Stolk was able to turn, Kyle Verreynne was left to hit a boundary, reducing the number of points needed for the last delivery to four. However, Naveen-ul-Haq was determined to keep Stolk to a leg-bye, which caused the Super Giants fans to erupt in a riot of noise.

After Gurbaz and Will Jacks had an outstanding opening partnership of 154 runs, the Capitals’ run-chase appeared to be on track. Although Jacks’ spectacular stroke play has already delighted SA20 audiences for the past two seasons, Gurbaz, the Afghanistan superstar, made his debut.

Playing with no fear at all, the diminutive right-hander dotted the Kingsmead terraces.

Before using the sweep shot to devastating effect against DSG captain Keshav Maharaj, he attacked England seamer Chris Woakes, demonstrating his similar destructiveness against pace and spin. As a result, Gurbaz achieved his first SA20 half-century with just 22 balls (2×4,5×6).

Jacks, on the other hand, struck five sixes and need six more balls to reach his fifty. Gurbaz was eventually caught on the edge of the boundary off his countryman Noor’s bowling, falling on his sword for 89 off 43 balls (3×4; 7×6), followed by Jacks for 64 (35 balls, 3×4, 5×6).

Early in the season, the Super Giants also unveiled an intriguing new opening duo in Bryce Parsons and Matthew Breetzke.

Coach Lance Klusener, who kept the Season 2 Rookie, was especially interested in Rising Star Parsons’ performance.

In his SA20 debut, Parsons returned the favour by igniting Kingsmead with a boundary-rich 47 off 28 balls (5×4; 2×6), which was a component of a 67-run opening partnership with Breetzke in just 6.3 overs. Breetzke just continued his success from the previous season, scoring 33 off 20 balls (5×4; 1×6). Through the leg-side, the Proteas opener hit several spectacular boundaries, particularly the one where he hoisted his rear leg in the manner of SA20 commentator Kevin Pietersen.

However, Senuran Muthusamy’s entry into the assault following the Powerplay stopped the raging DSG train, as the left-arm spinner enticed Breetzke to drive directly to Rilee Rossouw with a looping delivery. Muthusamy (3/21) took the first of three wickets that evening, showcasing his skill and strategic understanding of bowling on a Kingsmead pitch.

Kane Williamson clears the path to the finish line.

After Parsons and Quinton de Kock were dismissed by Muthusamy, and Liam Livingstone also claimed the crucial wicket of Season 2 MVP Heinrich Klaasen for a duck, the Capitals were putting pressure on the Super Giants.

When Jimmy Neesham enticed his former BlackCaps captain Williamson to drive high into the covers, they would have received even more compensation, but Gurbaz turned down the opportunity on the boundary. They made the Capitals pay, and it was the break that DSG and Williamson needed. After Mulder joined them, they struck the white ball cleanly to recover the lost momentum.

At first, everything was going well off Mulder’s bat as the Proteas all-rounder hit two consecutive maximums over the cover boundary. This gave Williamson time to settle into his groove, but once he did, the Kiwi legend’s style was the deciding factor in an incredibly entertaining evening at Kingsmead.