SEC, PC set for repeat of 2023 SA20 final

Sunrisers Eastern Cape finished top of the SA20 league stage, a position that has led to the title in two of the tournament's three editions. The only exception was in 2023, when Pretoria Capitals topped the table but lost the final to Eastern Cape.

Wednesday's Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead is a direct rematch of that 2023 final. The winner advances straight to Sunday's final in Cape Town. The loser gets a second chance in Friday's playoff against the winner of Thursday's eliminator between Paarl Royals and Joburg Super Kings.

Both captains acknowledged the role of momentum heading into the knockout match.

Eastern Cape's Tristan Stubbs said, "It's nice to have momentum going into the play-offs, but it doesn't mean much at all."

Pretoria Capitals' Keshav Maharaj added, "We're still in search of playing a clinical game… hopefully we can peak at the right time."

While both teams won their final league games, Eastern Cape had lost two of their previous four, whereas Pretoria had lost only one of theirs. Pretoria lost both league matches against Eastern Cape this season, but those were played in Gqeberha and Centurion. Conditions at Kingsmead are expected to be closer to those in Gqeberha.

Key Players to Watch:

• Quinton de Kock (Pretoria Capitals): The tournament's second-highest run-scorer, with four half-centuries. He forged the season's two highest partnerships, both against Eastern Cape.
• Sherfane Rutherford (Pretoria Capitals): Joint-highest six-hitter of the season (24), third on the run-scoring list, and possesses a strike rate of 166.84.
• Anrich Nortje (Eastern Cape): The leading seamer remaining in the tournament with 14 wickets.
• Keshav Maharaj (Pretoria Capitals): The most economical bowler this SA20 season, with an economy rate of 6.69.

The weather, often a concern in Durban, is not expected to play a role. No rain is forecast for Wednesday, and the last washout at Kingsmead was on January 9.