Paarl Royals scored a thrilling six-wicket victory against Johannesburg Super Kings in Match 15 of SA20 2025 at Boland Park. Despite Jonny Bairstow’s valiant half-century for the Super Kings, Miller’s composed knock guided the Royals to a comfortable victory with five balls remaining.
Jonny Bairstow guides Paarl Royals to competitive total
After being sent into bat, the Super Kings struggled to find momentum early in their innings. Devon Conway (7) and Faf du Plessis (18) fell cheaply, while Leus du Plooy managed only 6 points. Johnny Bairstow anchored the innings with a brilliant 60 off 40 balls, including two fours and three sixes, showcasing his aggressive stroke play.
Bairstow found support from Donovan Ferreira, who contributed 32* from 19 balls, including a four and two sixes. However, the rest of the squad failed to capitalize, with Moeen Ali (1) and Sibonelo Makhanya (17) struggling to accelerate.
The Royals bowlers kept things tight with Bjorn Fortuin being the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 wickets for just 22 runs in his four overs. Joe Root chipped in with 1 for 16 in his economical spell, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Dayyaan Galiem also took a wicket each.
David Miller guides Paarl Royals to victory
Chasing a modest target of 147, the Royals started with a bang as Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed 27 off just 14 balls, including 4 fours and a six. However, the quick wickets of Hardus Viljoen and Imran Tahir caught up with them, leaving them at 68/3.
Mitchell Van Buuren played a steadying knock, scoring 44 off 45 balls, but it was David Miller who stole the show. The left-hander showed his characteristic calm under pressure, scoring an unbeaten 40 off 32 balls with three fours and a six. Miller’s calculated aggression and intelligent rotation of strikes kept the Royals ahead of the required run rate. The local team reached the finish line in 19.1 overswith 6 wickets in hand.
Tahir had a good spell for the Super Kings, taking 1 for 22 in his four overs, while Viljoen took 2 for 23. However, the lack of support from the other bowlers allowed the Royals to easily claim victory.
Also READ: DSG vs MICT, SA20 2025 – Match Prediction, Dream11 Team, Fantasy Cricket Tips and Pitch Report | Durban Super Giants vs MI Cape Town
The Paarl Royals make 3 on the rebound ✅ #BetwaySA20 #PRvJSK #WelcomeToAmazing pic.twitter.com/DRcg63ycxq
–Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) January 20, 2025
Key performances:
- Johnny Bairstow (Joburg Super Kings): 60 runs off 40 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes)
- David Miller (Paarl Royals): 40 runs off 32 balls (3 fours, 1 six)
- Björn Fortuin (Paarl Royals): 4 overs, 2 wickets for 22 runs
- Hardus Viljoen (Joburg Super Kings): 4 overs, 2 wickets for 23 runs
