Kamal Ghorui
TimesofIndia.com in Durban: Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) have been to this stage before. Rather, they’ve been to this stage more than any other team in the brief history of the SA20. For the fourth season running, they’re into the playoffs and are strong candidates to lift the title for the third time, something they were denied last time around by the MI Cape Town.At the helm is a new captain Tristan Stubbs, who is hoping that this experience will make the difference against Pretoria Capitals in Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead.“The fact that we have a lot of the same guys who have played in these games before. They know what it takes to get the job done, which definitely helps. I definitely think so,” said Stubbs.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The experience also comes in from veteran wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock who is the franchise’s leading run-scorer this season and the second-highest overall. He’s coupled his 328 runs – at an average of 46.86 and strike rate of 149.09 – with 13 catches behind the stumps.“Quinny has been awesome for us. The way he has led from the front on and off the field. He has been really good towards the youngsters,” Stubbs said.“It’s good to know we’ve played well throughout the season, but heading into the playoffs, you start at 0 for 0. It’s nice to have momentum into the playoffs, but it doesn’t mean much at all.”Pretoria Capitals skipper Keshav Maharaj acknowledged De Kock will be one hurdle they will have to circumvent.“He has been phenomenal. Ever since he returned to international cricket, he is back to the Quinny we know him to be,” said Maharaj, who hails from Durban and is aware of what to expect from Kingsmead’s conditions.“We’ll come up with some good plans, but he is playing exceptional cricket, so we have to be on our A-game from ball 1.”
Poll
Who do you think will win the SA20 playoff match between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals?
RACE TO THE PLAYOFFS
Sunrisers Eastern Cape were the first to book a playoff spot and ensured they were going to finish at the top of the standings for the second time in their history by beating defending champions MI Cape Town at St George’s Park.Sherfane Rutherford and Shai Hope have been integral to Pretoria Capitals’ season but the former saved his best for last to propel the Capitals’ to a top-two finish.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Matches played: 9Sunrisers Eastern Cape won: 5Pretoria Capitals won: 4
In SA20 Season 4
On 29 Dec 2025: SEC won by 48 runs at St George’s ParkOn 5 Jan 2026: SEC won by 10 wickets at Centurion
