A sensational hundred from Shai Hope and a first SA20 hat-trick from Lungi Ngidi led the Pretoria Capitals to a 15-run victory in their SA20 clash against Durban’s Super Giants at a packed Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday night.
Barbadian Hope blazed an unbeaten 118 in just 69 balls, including nine fours and nine sixes, to lead the Capitals to a formidable 201-4 in their 20 overs after DSG’s skipper Aiden Markram had won the toss and put his opponents in to bat at an overcast Kingsmead.
And despite a superb unbeaten 97 in 52 balls from Jos Buttler, the Englishman didn’t receive the support he needed and the pressure was always on the home team in their pursuit as they finally succumbed for 186, losing their last seven wickets for 48 runs.
In the early going, DSG managed to maintain the required run-rate but lost wickets regularly with Ngidi’s triple in the 18th over accounting for David Wiese, Sunil Narine and Gerald Coetzee in consecutive deliveries.
𝟐 ◾ 𝐖 ◾ 𝐖 ◾ 𝐖 ◾ 𝟐𝐛
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 7, 2026
Lungi Ngidi becomes the first player to take a #BetwaySA20 hat-trick 🔵🔥#SSCricket pic.twitter.com/5eLJjqEq3h
Ngidi finished with 3-39 and there was also a three-wicket haul from fast bowler Gideon Peters who emerged from a year out through injury to claim the key scalps of Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and Evan Jones.
Capitals’ skipper Keshav Maharaj also impressed, conceding just 22 from his four overs and Roston Chase – needing to defend 18 off the final over – also played his part as he conceded only three as Kwena Maphaka and Noor Ahmad were run out in the frantic finale.
Buttler was left frustrated after clubbing nine fours and five sixes in his 52-ball innings, hugely impressive but just not good enough.
'GIMME HOPE'
Earlier, Hope struck his first SA20 ton and his fourth overall in the format.
It was also the highest SA20 innings so far. An indication of how he dominated the visitors’ innings was that he struck nine of 14 sixes hit in the innings, and nine of 14 fours.
Shai Hope 👏
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 7, 2026
He records the highest individual score in #BetwaySA20 history 🏆#SSCricket pic.twitter.com/uoTS59RYnv
Hope’s clinical knock was full of beautifully timed drives, pulls, sweeps and cuts, as well as ones and twos to get off strike from time to time. In all,
it was a remarkably measured innings given the nature of the format.
Too much heat from Shai Hope 😮💨🔥
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 7, 2026
He smashes it all over Kingsmead 🏏💥
📺 Stream #BetwaySA20 on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/E972gf0ygB
Hope and Connor Esterhuizen gave the Capitals the perfect start.
Although Esterhuizen played a supporting role, his 37 off 28 balls was an important ingredient of a century opening partnership in which the Pretoria franchise raced to 101 in 11 overs before he misjudged a slower, “knuckle” ball from Wiese, resulting in a comfortable catch for Markram at midwicket.
Chase helped Hope to add 85 in 44 balls for the second wicket, yet he was forced to retire in the 19th over with 24 off 15 balls, not sufficiently fast progress for the Capitals.
The tactic didn’t really work as Sherfane Rutherford was out second ball and although Dewald Brevis struck two sixes in his five-ball innings, DSG were able to restrict the Capitals to 18 runs off their last two overs and deny them the pulverising finale they were after.
The DSG bowlers were all punished by Hope but spinner Sunil Narine commanded respect, conceding just 22 off his four overs, while Noor Ahmed beat the bat frequently but still went for 39 in his spell.
DURBAN’S SUPER GIANTS: Kane Williamson, Marques Ackerman, Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram (capt), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Evan Jones, David Wiese, Gerald Coetzee, Sunil Narine, Kwena Maphaka, Noor Ahmad
PRETORIA CAPITALS: Connor Esterhuizen, Shai Hope (wk), Jordan Cox, Wihan Lubbe, Dewald Brevis, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Gideon Peters