Paarl Royals bounced back in style to hand Sunrisers Eastern Cape their first defeat of the season, chasing down 150 with two balls to spare in Gqeberha. A composed and powerful unbeaten 71 from David Miller turned the game on its head after Royals had slumped to 35 for 4, sealing a memorable five-wicket victory.
This result was particularly significant after Sunrisers had bowled Royals out for just 49 in their previous meeting. The win not only lifts Royals on the points table but also shows their resilience under pressure.
Royals Bowlers Choke Sunrisers at the Death
Sunrisers Eastern Cape looked well set at 127 for 4 with four overs remaining, Jordan Hermann anchoring the innings. However, Paarl Royals’ death bowlers produced a clinical finish that completely stalled the scoring.
Ottneil Baartman, Nqobani Mokoena and Mujeeb Ur Rahman combined superbly to concede just 22 runs in the final four overs, taking all six remaining wickets in the process. Mokoena was the standout, varying his pace cleverly and hitting the pitch hard on his way to a career-best 4 for 34 in only his eighth senior T20 appearance. Baartman was equally impressive, bowling two of the final four overs and allowing just one boundary, finishing with figures of 3 for 36. Mujeeb chipped in with 1 for 30, maintaining pressure throughout.
Sunrisers were eventually restricted to 149, with Hermann top-scoring with 47, a total that looked defendable on a tacky surface.
David Miller Delivers a Match-Winning Masterclass
Chasing 150, Paarl Royals endured a nightmare start as Sunrisers’ fast bowlers ripped through the top order. Marco Jansen struck twice in one over, using extra bounce to dismiss Asa Tribe and then forcing Lhuan-dre Pretorius into a leg-side nick, brilliantly caught by a diving Quinton de Kock. Anrich Nortje followed up with a fiery spell, removing Kyle Verreynne and Rubin Hermann to leave Royals reeling at 35 for 4.
What followed was a captain’s innings of the highest class. David Miller countered the difficult conditions with remarkable ease, striking cleanly from the outset. He punished loose deliveries from Nortje and dominated Tharindu Ratnayake’s offspin, scoring 29 runs off him alone. Miller found support in Keagan Lion-Cachet, and the pair added a decisive 114-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Lion-Cachet contributed a valuable 45 off 40 balls before falling with the scores level and two balls remaining. Miller, however, remained calm, finishing unbeaten on 71 from 38 deliveries, an innings featuring five sixes and four fours. A wide down the leg side from Lewis Gregory ultimately sealed the win for Royals.
Miller’s fluent knock stood out on a surface where most batters struggled, underlining once again why he remains one of the most reliable finishers in T20 cricket.
