SA20 Match Preview: Pretoria Capitals vs Joburg Super Kings
Pretoria Capitals will open their SA20 2025/26 season against Joburg Super Kings at Centurion on December 27. The match will be the second game of the new season, a day after defending champions MI Cape Town face Durban’s Super Giants in the opener on December 26.
Pretoria will enter the season looking to reset after a difficult previous campaign. They finished second-last on the table last season, while Joburg ended one spot higher in fourth position. The Capitals have made a clear statement of intent by changing leadership. Keshav Maharaj has taken over the captaincy from Rilee Rossouw, bringing calm and experience to the role. The franchise has also added strong pedigree off the field, with Sourav Ganguly joining as head coach.
Joburg will continue under the leadership of Faf du Plessis, with Stephen Fleming as head coach. The head-to-head record remains evenly balanced. The two sides have met 6 times, with 2 wins each and 2 matches ending with no result. Pretoria won the most recent meeting while chasing a modest 100-run target last season. The Capitals will back themselves again, especially with Centurion offering conditions that suit their strengths.
Pretoria Capitals – Team News
Pretoria Capitals will head into SA20 with what looks like their strongest squad on paper across four seasons. However, the opening combination remains unsettled. Connor Esterhuizen and Wihan Lubbe are likely to start, with Will Smeed also in contention. This remains the only area where Pretoria could feel slightly undercooked with a strong middle order.
A major talking point will be Dewald Brevis, who cost the Capitals more than half of their auction purse. Centurion is his home ground. Brevis has shown elite talent and a strong start to his international & T20 career but consistency remains key. He will be expected to add more control once set and expectations will be high. Sherfane Rutherford will support him through the middle overs.
The balance in their pace attack gives them a clear edge over many sides. The pace unit looks formidable with Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Andre Russell, Codi Yusuf and Tymal Mills. They will be coached by South African legend Shaun Pollock who will be moving from commentary to the dressing room for the first time since his retirement.
Shai Hope replaced Will Jacks, while Jordan Cox came in for the injured Saqib Mahmood. Tymal Mills also joined as Craig Overton’s replacement.
Players IN: Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Wihan Lubbe, Sibonelo Makhanya, Sherfane Rutherford, Codi Yusuf, Byrce Parsons, Andre Russell, Junaid Dawood, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Gideon Peters, Lizaad Williams, Meeka-eel Prince, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Jordan Cox, Tymal Mills, Keith Dudgeon (temporary replacement), Daniel Smith (temporary replacement)
Key players OUT: Rilee Rossouw, Marques Ackermann, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ashton Turner, Kyle Verreynne, Liam Livingstone, Senuran Muthusamy, Jimmy Neesham, Jason Behrendorff, Eathan Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Will Jacks, Craig Overton (injury), Saqib Mahmood (injury)
Pretoria Capitals – Probable Playing XI
Connor Estherhuizen, Wihan Lubbe/Will Smeed, Shai Hope (wk), Dewald Brevis, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Roston Chase, Keshav Maharaj (c), Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Codi Yusuf
Joburg Super Kings – Team News
Joburg Super Kings will once again lean on experience, staying true to their “granddad’s army” tag. The squad continues to revolve around seasoned campaigners, with Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir both in their 40s and bringing years of T20 league know-how. Apart from Nandre Burger and Donovan Ferreira, the rest of the group has been refreshed. The Super Kings will hope a new squad delivers better results.
Injuries hurt them badly last season, especially to their fast bowlers. 7 injured quicks disrupted their plans, a major issue at the Wanderers where pace plays a big role. That concern remains as Burger is managing a hamstring problem, which could push Wiaan Mulder into a bigger role, while Reece Topley stands out as the other frontline pace option.
There is some young talent too. 19-year-old Steve Stolk (last year with Pretoria Capitals), part of South Africa’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup squad, adds raw power. Jarren Bacher has also impressed during trials under Stephen Fleming.
Players IN: Rilee Rossouw, Matthew de Villiers, Steve Stolk, James Vince, Wiaan Mulder, Shubham Ranjane, Prenelan Subrayen, Richard Gleeson, Akeal Hosein, Reece Topley, Dan Worrall, Dian Forrester, Janco Smit, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Jarren Bacher (temporary replacement), Duan Jansen
Key players OUT: Jonny Bairstow, Devon Conway, Leus du Plooy, Wihan Lubbe, Sibonelo Makhanya, Moeen Ali, David Wiese, Gerald Coetzee, Matheesha Pathirana, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Brandon King
Joburg Super Kings – Probable Playing XI
Faf du Plessis (c), Matthew de Villiers, James Vince, Rilee Rossouw, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Jorich van Schalkwyk, Imran Tahir, Reece Topley, Richard Gleeson, Duan Jansen
Pretoria Capitals vs Joburg Super Kings – Key Matchups
Andre Rusell vs Imran Tahir
Imran Tahir has dismissed Andre Russell 6 times in T20 matches, restricting him to a strike rate of 131.5. The hard-hitting allrounder has struck at 136.7 against right-arm spinners and 183 against right-arm pacers.
Faf du Plessis vs Lungi Ngidi
Lungi Ngidi has dismissed Faf du Plessis 3 times in T20s. The opener has faced 24 balls scoring just 28 runs at a strike rate of 116.7.