The Joburg Super Kings climbed to the joint top of the Betway SA20 league table after their crucial match against the Paarl Royals was abandoned due to severe weather on Thursday evening at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Persistent rain and dangerous lightning made any further play impossible, forcing both teams to share the points.
Match Abandoned After Super Kings' Strong Batting Display
Earlier, under clear conditions, Paarl Royals captain David Miller won the toss and elected to field first. His opposite number, Faf du Plessis of the Super Kings, revealed he would have also chosen to bat on a pitch offering good pace and bounce. Du Plessis and his new opening partner, England's James Vince, justified that decision with a spectacular start.
The pair built on their promising partnership from the previous game, launching a blistering assault on the Royals' bowlers. They amassed a rapid 73-run stand in just 7.3 overs. Faf du Plessis, despite not always finding the middle of the bat, smashed 39 runs off only 24 deliveries, hitting six fours and a six. He particularly targeted teenage debutant Nqobani Mokoena, giving him a tough welcome to the Bullring.
James Vince was equally destructive, punishing bowler Bjorn Fortuin early as the Super Kings raced to 64 for no loss at the end of the Powerplay. The momentum was briefly halted when Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza was introduced. The Royals' spinner struck with his first ball, bowling du Plessis with a beautifully drifting off-break.
Vince's Maiden Fifty Powers Competitive Total
The wicket, however, did not slow the scoring rate for long. James Vince continued his fluent innings and brought up his maiden SA20 half-century off just 33 balls. He found a capable partner in Matthew de Villiers, who played a lively cameo of 30 runs from 22 deliveries. The duo added 56 runs for the second wicket, putting the Super Kings on course for a total well above 200.
Just as they were accelerating, Sikandar Raza intervened again. He dismissed de Villiers at long-off to finish with excellent figures of 2 wickets for 26 runs. His spell triggered a slowdown. A cluster of wickets, including those of Vince (75), Wiaan Mulder, and Shubham Ranjane, combined with a brief floodlight failure, stalled the Super Kings' charge. Donovan Ferreira fell soon after the lights came back on, and the innings eventually closed at 187 for 6 in their 20 overs.
Weather Has the Final Say, Points Shared
The Paarl Royals, with a powerful batting lineup, would have been confident of chasing down the target of 188. However, nature had other plans. Lightning and then persistent rain swept across the Wanderers, making the outfield unfit for play and forcing the umpires to abandon the match.
As a result, both teams were awarded two points each. This outcome propelled the Joburg Super Kings to 17 points, tying them with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the summit of the SA20 standings. The Paarl Royals remained in third place with 15 points, their campaign slightly hampered by the weather. The abandonment leaves the league table tightly packed as the tournament approaches its business end.
