END OF OVER:20 | 11 Runs | PC: 207/6 (3 runs required, RR: 10.35)
- Steve Stolk0 (4b)
- Kyle Verreynne10 (7b)
- Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-35-1
- Keshav Maharaj4-0-39-1
9:48pm And...breathe. What a game of cricket we witnessed over the last four hours or so, and there is plenty more in store at the SA20 tomorrow, with a double-header lined up. Do join us for those games too but for tonight, from Ranjith, Sudeep and myself, this is goodbye!
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Player of the Match: Happy with my performance but really disappointed with the result. We should have won but unfortunately, we lost. Hopefully we come back stronger (and win our next match). Partnership (with Jacks) was really good, and I hope we continue in this way and win matches our team. Wins are always tastier. (On his battle with Noor) Always tries to get me out and I try to hit him for sixes as well. he is one of the best bowlers. We should respect good bowlers, he got me out today but hopefully next time, I smash him for sixes.
Keshav Maharaj, Durban's Super Giants captain: We know Kingsmead, it is not over until it is over. Wickets can fall in clusters. Would have been nice to get wickets up front. Shows the character of the side (to come back and win). Kudos to the bowling unit and the fielding unit too. There was good energy throughout and it ignited towards the end. The love and support we get, we are grateful and these performances are for the crowd. Maybe we can go all the way this year and bring the trophy to Durban. We knew there was a short boundary. Gurbaz and Jacks got the better of me, but thought Noor, with his mystery, might be difficult for them. He took the wickets we needed him to and the others followed suit. (On what impressed him in their batting innings) The ability to sustain momentum despite losing wickets. Kane showed what we signed him to do and then Mulder…that propels us to reach those targets.
Rilee Rossouw, Pretoria Capitals captain: (On what went wrong) Towards the end, we lost track of what we needed to chase. We did not execute well (in the first innings). Chasing 200 is a tough ask (here) but defending with a short boundary is also tough. Credit to them (Jacks and Gurbaz) for playing that unbelievable innings. Not something you see every day, unfortunate to not cross the line. (On the ideal score to chase) 160-170 and if you push your limits, 180. It is tough in the second innings. We had to come out all guns blazing and the boys did that (in the powerplay).
Here's Sampath with an amazing stat: 154-run stand between Gurbaz and Jacks is the third-highest to end up on the losing side in a Men's T20 chase, and the highest for the opening wicket.
Jarryd: "I'm a neutral, and I lost my voice screaming at the tv. What a game! Brilliant and so brave to keep Noor back until the end. "
9:29pm An all-time classic. The Capitals had it. They had it right in their palms, and there were even talks of them chasing the bonus point - that was how dominant Jacks and Gurbaz were during their 154-run stand, which came off only 73 balls. But then, Gurbaz fell and that was followed up by Rossouw's dismissal, which sort of opened the door for the Giants.
And, they barged through. They absolutely smashed that door down. Noor breezed past Jacks' defences and the Capitals' finishers, Neesham and Livingstone just could not get going enough. Naveen then did his bit towards the end, with Maharaj also coming in clutch with an exceptional penultimate over.
As the dust settles, the Capitals might dissect their decision to promote Muthusamy, which was probably because they wanted a left-right combination. But often, the end justify the means - a fact emphasized by Maharaj holding Noor back, which, eventually, proved to be a masterstroke with all the new batters struggling against him.
Stolk on strike. Four needed off the last ball. Pressure on the youngster. Pressure on Naveen too. The onus is on him to close this out from here
5 off 2
9 off 3. Big ball coming up. And to add to the tension, Naveen has asked the physio to come on and attend to the little finger on his right hand
Vishal Poojary: "What a comeback it has been so far!"
14 needed off the last over. Stolk on strike. Naveen to bowl. DSG with all the momentum. PC with the baggage. Who are you backing?