With a refreshed squad and a reinvigorated dressing room chant in “Royals jou lekker ding”, the Paarl Royals are ready to take on a brand-new season of SA20, with their opening match on Friday.

 

 

Season 1 Recap: What happened in 2023?

The David Miller-led side qualified for the semi-finals of the inaugural SA20 season with a fourth-place finish on the points table. However, that was as far as the team could go, having to endure a loss against Pretoria Capitals. The Royals will have an early opportunity to avenge that loss, as they kick off the 2024 season against the same opponent, this time in their backyard.

Match Details

Match 3: Paarl Royals vs Pretoria Capitals
Where: Boland Park, Paarl
When: January 12 2024
What time: 9 PM IST (15:30 GMT)

Apart from being known for its picturesque setting amidst mountains and rocks, the Boland Park in Paarl is also a happy hunting ground for its home team. Last year, the Royals won 3 of their 5 matches at this venue. The Capitals though have had a forgettable outing, losing the only game they played here last season. The last time both teams locked horns at this ground, the home team emerged victorious by 6 wickets.

Historically, the Boland Park is a traditional fast bowler’s paradise, with pacers picking 408 wickets across T20s at this venue. The average first innings score here is 150/6. Captains winning the toss have opted to chase as many as 34 out of the 63 times the coin went up, and that is also how they have ended up winning the match.

Royal to watch

Jos Buttler: A spot in the final and the eventual trophy would’ve been the perfect finish to the talismanic opener’s first SA20 season last year. Regardless, Buttler’s 391 runs in 11 innings were instrumental in his team’s journey to the semi-finals. 120 of those runs came against the Capitals - proof that he enjoys taking the bowlers to the cleaners. Captain Miller would be hoping for an action replay this time around that can once again lift his team’s chances to go one step further.

Upcoming milestones

  • Jason Roy is one catch away from 150 catches in T20s
  • Andile Phehlukwayo is 2 short of 100 wickets in T20s