road to SA20 2025-26 Finals starts today Kingsmead, Durbanas two-time champion Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) face a resurgence Pretoria Capitals (PC). A direct ticket to the final at Newlands is at stake; The loser will have to go through Qualifier 2 to keep their title hopes alive.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape SA20 has been the gold standard. Topping the table with 28 points, Tristan Stubbs‘The men have combined clinical efficiency with big-game flair. They enter this clash having dominated the Capitals in both league meetings this season, including a brutal 10-wicket win in early January.
pretoria capitalsLed by Keshav Maharaj, the side finished second with 24 points after a late-season surge. They arrived in Durban with four wins from their last five matches and had finally found the balance that had initially eluded them. Although they lost both league games to Sunrisers, the Capitals’ bowling attack has been one of the most disciplined in the tournament recently, defending two of their lowest totals this season.
SEC vs PC, SA20 2025-26 Qualifier 1: Match Details
- date and time: 21 January (Wednesday); 9:00 PM IST / 03:30 PM GMT / 5:30 PM local
- venue: Kingsmead, Durban
SEC vs PC, head-to-head record in SA20 2025-26:
Matches played: 9 | Sunrisers Eastern Cape won: 5 | Pretoria Capitals won: 4 | No result/tied: 0
Kingsmead Pitch Report
The pitch at Kingsmead, Durban for this Qualifier 1 is expected to be a quintessential playing track with a noticeable change in behavior for the 2025-26 season. Historically a Green Mamba favoring fast bowlers with its sharp bounce and coastal swing, the surface has become significantly more batsman-friendly in 2026, with the average first innings score rising to around 195. However, high humidity and evening light will provide early assistance to the fast bowlers. While big scores can be achieved, the tidal effect remains a factor, often aiding late innings progress.
squads
pretoria capitals: Will Smeed, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Shai Hope, Dewald Brewis, Roston Chase, Andre Russell, Bryce Parsons, Kodi Joseph, Gideon Peters, Keshav Maharaj (c), Lungi Ngidi, Tymal Mills, Lizaad Williams, Sibonelo Makhanya, Vihaan Lubbe, Keith Dudgeon, Junaid Dawood, Sherfane Rutherford, Jordan Cox, Daniel Smith, Micah Eel Prince
Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tristan Stubbs (c), Lewis Gregory, Matthew Bretzke, Marco Janssen, Patrick Kruger, Senuran Muthusamy, Adam Milne, Anrich Nortje, Chris Wood, Allah Ghazanfar, JP King, Christopher King, Jordan Harman, Mitchell Van Buuren, Tharindu Rathnayake, James Coles, Beyers Swanepoel, Lutho Sipamla
See also: Otniel Bartman’s hat-trick seals Paarl Royals place in SA20 2026 playoffs
SEC vs PC, SA20 2025-26 Qualifier 1: Today Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the toss and bowled first
- Pretoria Capitals Powerplay Score: 45-55 (6 overs)
- Pretoria Capitals Total Score: 155-165
Case 2:
- Pretoria Capitals won the toss and bowled first
- Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
- Sunrisers Eastern Cape total score: 170-180
Match result: The team that bowls first wins the competition.
Also read: Sunrisers Eastern Cape hand Paarl Royals a one-sided win on their lowest ever SA20 score