Maharaj leads the squeeze as Capitals clinch low-scoring clash

Pretoria Capitals secured a victory against the in-form Paarl Royals at Boland Park. After posting 138 for 9 in their 20 overs, the Capitals' bowlers restricted the hosts to 117 for 6 on a tough batting pitch. This marks the second-lowest total successfully defended in SA20 history. The Capitals have now won three of their last four games, ending the Royals' three-match winning streak.

Batting first, the Capitals' openers struggled initially. Connor Esterhuizen hit a six off Hardus Viljoen but was dismissed next ball. Shai Hope struck a couple of boundaries, but Jordan Cox fell cheaply before the PowerPlay ended. Dan Lawrence took two wickets in an over, including Hope's, reducing the Capitals from 51 for 2 to 51 for 4. Roston Chase and Dewald Brevis hit a couple of sixes, but Sikandar Raza bowled Chase as the Royals maintained pressure.

Raza dismissed Brevis in the 12th over, compounding the Capitals' difficulties. With spin dominating from the seventh to the 16th over, Sherfane Rutherford anchored the innings. He hit two boundaries off Dan Lawrence and pulled Nqobani Mokoena for a six as the Capitals reached 100 in the 17th over. Rutherford found the boundary in the next two overs, contributing to 22 runs in the 18th and 19th overs. The West Indian then smashed two sixes in the final over, taking 14 runs to lift the Capitals to 138.

In the chase, the Royals lost Lhuan-dre Pretorius for a duck, trapped LBW by Lungi Ngidi. Asa Tribe and Rubin Hermann built a 32-run partnership with five boundaries before Tribe was strangled down the leg side. Wihan Lubbe dismissed Lawrence, leaving the Royals at 39 for 3. Hermann hit two crucial boundaries, and David Miller smashed a six off Lubbe in a 16-run over.

However, Hermann was trapped LBW by Keshav Maharaj for 35. After 15 overs, the Royals needed 60 from the last five overs. Miller hit two sixes off Ngidi in a 16-run over. Maharaj dismissed Raza, finishing with figures of 2 for 14, but Miller reduced the equation to 34 off two overs. Ngidi conceded just five runs in the penultimate over before Miller holed out to long-off against Lizaad Williams, sealing the Capitals' victory.

Brief Scores: Pretoria Capitals 138/9 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 42, Shai Hope 22; Sikandar Raza 2-14, Dan Lawrence 2-19) beat Paarl Royals 117/6 in 20 overs (David Miller 45, Rubin Hermann 35; Keshav Maharaj 2-14, Gideon Peters 1-11) by 21 runs