Wednesday’s match marks Match 31 of the 2026 SA20 competition. Match 31 is the first qualifier, with the winner of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs. Pretoria Capitals contest advancing directly to the final on Sunday, January 25.
The playoff format means it is not all over for the loser. Whichever team fails to win on Wednesday will play in the second qualifier match on Friday. They take on the winner of Thursday’s Eliminator match that sees the Paarl Royals take on the Joburg Super Kings at Centurion Park.
Here is a look ahead at the contest.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape VS Pretoria Capitals Venue: Kingsmead, Durban
Sunrisers Eastern Cape VS Pretoria Capitals Date: Wednesday, January 21
Sunrisers Eastern Cape VS Pretoria Capitals Odds:
History
The top two teams on the log clash at Kingsmead, with the consistent Sunrisers Eastern Cape taking on a Pretoria Capitals squad that improved throughout the regular season.
Sunrisers fined top of the log with 28 points from 10 games. They won five of their ten matches, the joint most in the comp, and racked up twice as many bonus points as anyone else, getting a bonus point in all but one of their wins. When this team is victorious, it is typically in a dominant fashion.
Sunrisers had a solid end to the season, winning two of their last three matches to secure top spot. They also started strongly their year, winning their first two games. That consistency is something they will look to in the playoffs.
The Preoria Capitals did things the hard way. Bottom of the log after two rounds and second bottom after five, their second half of the season has been nothing short of outstanding. They won four of their last five matches to reach this Qualifier 1 game, something that seemed unlikely as late in the season as Week 8.
In a one-off playoff format, it is often the team riding the hot hand that emerges as the competition winner. If that plays out in the SA20 this season, it will be Pretoria celebrating at the end of this week.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
The two-time champions have two shots at reaching the final and will be the most difficult team to beat thanks to their playoff experience.
There are issues, with regular opening bowler Adam Milne missing at least this game with ahamstring injury after he pulled up after just three balls in Sunrisers’ final regular season match.
Matthew Breetzke (6/1 to be top bat) and the always impressive Quinton de Kock (22/5) will anchor the batting.
Pretoria Capitals
Sherfane Rutherford (25/2) has been the man for the Capitals down the stretch. The West Indian has been a death-over destroyer, coming in at No. 6 or 7 in the lineup and mashing the opposition bowling with his powerful striking.
The Capitals beat the Joburg Super Kings late in the season by 21 runs on the back of an unbeaten 74 from 50 balls for Rutherford. Only he and Dewald Brevis (53) scored more than seven in the match for Pretoria, as Rutherford put on a show.
Best Bets
De Kock has scored at least 50 four times this season and is second on the runs chart. He is always worth a bet as the best bat.
SEC has a stronger top order, with Jonny Bairstow and Jordan Hermann producing solid knocks this season, and their lineup is very balanced, with Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje leading the bowling.
Having said all that, Preotira are in such good form that I would take them to steal it in the head-to-head.
