Durban, Jan 11, 2025, IANS

Durban, Jan 11 (IANS) Durban Super Giants secured a nail-biting last-ball victory, edging out Pretoria Capitals by just two runs in a thrilling SA20 season 3 match at Kingsmead. Despite Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive 89 and a commanding 154-run opening partnership with Will Jacks, the Capitals narrowly missed their target of 210, closing their innings at 207/6. Super Giants had posted 209/4 due to healthy contributions from New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (60 not out) and Wiaan Mulder (45 not out off 19 balls) before the Capitals made most of the running by reducing the target to 21 off 19 balls with six wickets remaining in the dugout. But that’s when the Afghanistan pair of Noor Ahmad (2/34) and Naveen-ul-Haq (1/35) put the squeeze on to reduce the target to 14 required off the final six deliveries. Noor already picked up the big wickets of Capitals opening pair Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Will Jacks before captain Keshav Maharaj also removed the dangerous Liam Livingstone in the penultimate over. This left Naveen-ul-Haq with 14 runs to defend in the final over with Capitals teenager Steve Stolk on strike. Stolk managed to rotate leaving Kyle Verreynne to strike a boundary that brought the equation down to four required off the final delivery. But Naveen-ul-Haq had ice running through his veins to restrict Stolk to a leg-bye which set off a cacophony of noise from the Super Giants faithful. The Capitals’ run-chase seemed on course through an explosive 154-run opening partnership between Gurbaz and Will Jacks. Jacks has thoroughly entertained the SA20 crowds the past two seasons with his dynamic stroke-play already, but it was a first appearance for the Afghanistan superstar Gurbaz. The little right-hander plays with absolutely no fear and peppered all parts of the Kingsmead terraces. He was equally destructive against pace and spin by initially attacking England seamer Chris Woakes before employing the sweep shot with devastating effect against DSG captain Keshav Maharaj. It led to Gurbaz requiring just 22 balls (2x4,5x6) for his maiden SA20 half-century. Jacks, meanwhile, needed six balls more for his fifty with the Englishman also striking five sixes. Gurbaz eventually fell on his sword for 89 off 43 balls (3x4 ; 7x6) when he was caught on the edge of the boundary off the bowling of his compatriot Noor before Jacks followed for 64 (35 balls, 3x4, 5x6). Earlier, Super Giants had also unleashed an exciting new opening pair in Matthew Breetzke and Bryce Parsons to kickstart the new season. Coach Lance Klusener was particularly keen to see how Rising Star Parsons would fare after retaining the Season 2 Rookie. Parsons, making his SA20 debut, repaid the faith by setting Kingsmead alight with a boundary-filled 47 off 28 balls (5x4 ; 2x6) that formed part of a 67-run opening stand with Breetzke in just 6.3 overs. Breetzke simply picked up from where he left off last season with 33 off 20 balls (5x4 ; 1x6). The Proteas opener struck some flamboyant boundaries through the leg-side, especially the one where he lifted his back leg in SA20 commentator Kevin Pietersen style. The introduction of Senuran Muthusamy into the attack after the Powerplay, however, brought a halt to the runaway DSG train with the left-arm spinner tempting Breetzke with a looping delivery to drive straight to Rilee Rossouw. It was the first of three wickets for Muthusamy (3/21) on the night with the Capitals allrounder showing all his experience and tactical nous of how to bowl on a Kingsmead surface. With Parsons and Quinton de Kock falling to Muthusamy and then Liam Livingstone also getting the big wicket of Season 2 MVP Heinrich Klaasen for a duck, the Capitals had put the squeeze on and were reigning in the Super Giants. They would have had further reward when Jimmy Neesham lured his former Black Caps skipper Williamson into driving aerially into the covers - only to see Gurbaz put down the chance on the boundary. It was the let off that Williamson and DSG required, and they certainly made the Capitals pay. Joined by Mulder at that point, the pair regained the lost momentum with some clean striking of the white ball. Initially it was all flowing off Mulder’s bat with the Proteas allrounder stroking two successive maximums over the cover boundary. This allowed Williamson to belatedly find his rhythm, but once he did it was all class from the Kiwi legend, which ultimately proved the difference on a hugely entertaining evening at Kingsmead.