Lhuan-dre Pretorius hammered a clinical 51 from 35 balls and opening partner Kyle Verreynne contributed 30 from just 15 balls to lay the platform for Paarl Royals’ formidable total of 210-5 and victory by 36-runs in their SA20 Eliminator match against the Joburg Super Kings at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday evening.
An absolute all-round performance! 💗💗💗 pic.twitter.com/CeJ9BkdCa0
— Paarl Royals (@paarlroyals) January 22, 2026
JSK were restricted to 174-8 in their 20 overs with veteran fast bowler Hardus Viljoen claiming 3-24 from his four overs.
Verreynne collected four fours and a six before dragging a wide delivery from Nandre Burger (1-46) onto his stumps but Pretorius preferred the aerial route with five sixes and just two fours before being run out by a powerful throw from the deep by Matthew de Villiers that caught him well short while attempting a second run.
Rubin Hermann (9) was suitably disgusted after pulling Wiaan Mulder (2-45) straight to Matthew de Villiers at deep square leg but there was nothing fortunate about the fine Mulder delivery which bowled JSK captain Dan Lawrence behind his legs for a bristling 36 from 23 balls with two fours and three sixes.
Sikander Raza enjoyed the same boundary count in an even more bristling 35 from only 19 balls before Duan Jansen held a low return catch but Jerseyman Asa Tribe continued the momentum with a fine 30* from only 16 balls with Keagan Lion-Cachet adding 13 from six balls at No 7.
JSK’s run chase stumbled badly in the Power Play, four wickets crumbling in the first six overs with Viljoen bowling Neil Timmers (8) and removing Matthew de Villiers for a four-ball duck.
Rivaldo Moonsamy (3) was trapped lbw by Bjorn Fortuin’s infamous quicker ball and Leus du Plooy (10) departed in the same manner to Ottneil Baartman although, curiously, he did not review the decision despite the delivery apparently pitching outside leg stump, later confirmed by Hawkeye.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐍 🦇
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 22, 2026
When Paarl Royals call, he answers 🤩✨#SSCricket | #BetwaySA20 pic.twitter.com/fjMPEyLiPN
Captain James Vince (47 from 29 balls) revived JSK’s flagging hopes and Wiaan Mulder smote an impressive 41 from 27 balls but Vince was bowled by a crafty slower ball from Nqobani Mokoena (4-0-31-1) and when Dian Forrester (3) holed out in the deep against Sikander Raza (4-0-26-1) the game was effectively over with a requirement of over 16 runs from the last five overs.
Hardus lead from the front 💣💥
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 22, 2026
Can he do it at the Wanderers on Friday night? 😏#SSCricket | #BetwaySA20 pic.twitter.com/Y8h1HN99fI
Both teams were missing their regular captains with David Miller sitting the match out for the Royals nursing an adductor muscle injury which has ruled him out of the imminent three-match series against the West Indies.
His fitness for the T20 World Cup will be assessed at a later date.
The Super Kings lost Faf du Plessis with a thumb injury ten days ago while his replacement, Donovan Ferreira, sustained a fracture of his left clavicle in JSK’s victory over the Royals which earned them a play-off place against the same opposition today.
He was been ruled out of the West Indies series and the World Cup. Englishman James Vince becomes their third captain of the campaign.
The Paarl Royals will now face Sunrisers Eastern Cape just 24 hours later at the Wanderers in the second Qualifier match to determine who will face the Pretoria Capitals in the grand final at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.
See you tomorrow at Wanderers ⏳🔥 pic.twitter.com/DzLQsRxdNr
— Paarl Royals (@paarlroyals) January 22, 2026
PAARL ROYALS: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Rubin Hermann, Dan Lawrence (captain), Sikander Raza, Keegan Lion-Cachet, Asa Tribe, Bjorn Fortuin, Hardus Viljoen, Ottneil Baartman, Nqobani Mokoena
JOBURG SUPER KINGS: James Vince (captain), Matthew de Villiers, Leus du Plooy, Wiaan Mulder, Dian Forrester, Neil Timmers, Dan Worrall, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wkt), Nandre Burger, Duan Jansen, Akeal Hosein.