Durban Super Giants Vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape, SA20 Highlights: Reigning Champs SEC Thrash DSG By 58 Runs For First Win Of The Season

Hello everyone, we hope you're doing well! We're back with another live blog, and this time it's SA20 Match 11 between Durban Super Giants and Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Play will start at 9 PM IST. Stay tuned for all the updates.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape have won the toss and opted to bat first against Durban Super Giants.

Durban Super Giants (Playing XI): Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock(w), Kane Williamson, Wiaan Mulder, Jason Smith, Heinrich Klaasen, Bryce Parsons, Chris Woakes, Keshav Maharaj(c), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq

Sunrisers Eastern Cape (Playing XI): David Bedingham, Zak Crawley, Tom Abell, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs(w), Jordan Hermann, Marco Jansen, Liam Dawson, Simon Harmer, Ottneil Baartman, Richard Gleeson

Keshav Maharaj: "The pitch looks fine, and we probably would have batted first as well. Our goal is to restrict the Sunrisers to a chaseable total. After our last game, we had a discussion and focused on getting back to basics at Kingsmead, which has worked well for us. We’ve made two changes — Williamson and Parsons are back in the squad."

Aiden Markram: "We’re going to bat first, as the surface looks pretty dry. Hopefully, it stays dry, which should help our bowlers. We’ve made two changes as well — Hermann and Dawson return to the side. We don’t want to overthink things, but we need to back ourselves and trust our decision-making. It’s a good opportunity for us this evening, and we’re looking forward to having a solid game. A new competition, a new team, but we can take some confidence from that."

Shaun Pollock describes the pitch as very dry with a good amount of Kingsmead grass. A stiff breeze is hitting the 62m boundary, while the other side stretches to 67m. Pollock notes that there will be grip and turn on the surface. His advice to the bowlers is to avoid overpitching and stick to a back-of-a-length approach. He also mentions that rain is not expected to have a significant impact on today's game.

Bryce Parsons opens the attack for his team with the new ball, as he takes the first delivery of the match. Bedingham, on strike, faces a low full-toss and picks up a single. Bedingham and Crawley are at the crease, with Bedingham taking the first strike. A slip is in place as the players and umpires make their way to the middle, and the match begins.

Parsons delivers to Crawley, and he gets off the mark in style with a superb boundary. The ball is floated up, a low full toss outside off, and Crawley reaches out to drive it beautifully through the gap between extra cover and mid-off, racing to four.

SEC 7/0 (0.4)

DSG continue to hand out gifts, and this slower ball lands well outside leg stump. Bedingham patiently waits for it and delicately guides it behind square for a boundary.

SEC 21/0 (2)

Naveen-ul-Haq bowls to Crawley, and it's a full delivery that drifts onto the pads. Crawley effortlessly glances it past backward square leg for a smooth boundary.

Almost a disaster for Markram! Noor delivers a full ball just outside off, and it spins back sharply. Markram, attempting to drive, seems to get a faint touch before the ball rolls off his pads, passing the slip fielders.

Despite de Kock’s uncertain reaction, Noor and Maharaj feel confident and opt to review. The tension rises. And there it is—Ball Tracking shows three reds, with the ball clattering into the top of middle and leg stumps. It’s a hat-trick opportunity for Noor, and another golden duck for Markram this season.

SEC 75/3 (9.3)

Noor Ahmad has dismantled SEC’s middle order with a brilliant 3-wicket haul. Abell has anchored one end but needs support at the other. The pitch is gripping and turning, and if the visitors can reach around 160, it could set up a challenging chase.

Tom Abell is on fire. Woakes bowls a back-of-a-length delivery outside off, and Abell, with perfect timing, opens the bat face to guide it past backward point, leaving deep point unable to get there.

A few balls later, Woakes delivers a half-tracker outside off, and Abell rocks back to smash it over mid-wicket for another boundary. Abell's in full control and looking dangerous.

SEC 118/4 (15.3)

Chaos on the field! Woakes delivers a back-of-a-length ball just outside off, and Stubbs swings hard but completely loses his balance. The ball takes the top edge and hangs in the air, offering what seems like a straightforward catch for de Kock.

But the swirling wind has other ideas, turning it into a nightmare. De Kock charges forward, trying to get underneath it, but misjudges it entirely and doesn’t even get a hand on the ball. To make matters worse, he gets up clutching his back, leaving DSG fans and teammates worried about his fitness.

Naveen-ul-Haq bowls to Stubbs, and it's smashed for a SIX! A slower delivery outside off at 107kph, and Stubbs lines it up perfectly. He clears his front leg and powers it over wide long-on for a massive 88-meter maximum.

SEC managed to post a competitive 165 on a sluggish Durban surface, thanks to a collective batting effort anchored by Tom Abell. The visitors never found top gear, but Abell’s steady fifty of 57 off 39 balls kept the scoreboard moving, with valuable contributions from Jansen and Crawley.

Stubbs added the finishing touches with a towering six in the final over. However, the innings was largely defined by Noor Ahmad’s brilliance during the middle overs. The left-arm spinner was unplayable, picking up four crucial wickets and applying the brakes just when SEC looked to accelerate.

While DSG’s bowlers offered a few loose deliveries, which were duly punished, Noor’s magic ensured the target remained within reach. DSG will need a composed batting display to chase down 166 on a pitch offering turn and grip. Stay tuned for the second innings.

And the chase begins! Matthew Breetzke and Bryce Parsons take their positions at the crease, with Breetzke on strike. Markram is handed the new ball and wastes no time in getting things underway. First delivery—Markram floats it up outside off but slightly over-pitches, and Breetzke capitalizes immediately. With a clean swing through the line, he lofts it effortlessly over mid-off for a boundary. A confident start for DSG.

DSG 8/0 (1.2)

Bryce Parsons is hitting some beautiful shots out there! Harmer bowls full just outside off, and Parsons gets down on one knee, smashing it past backward square leg for a boundary.

A couple of deliveries later, Harmer tosses one up outside off again, but Parsons is ready. Dancing down the track with perfect footwork, he gets to the pitch of the ball and launches it cleanly over the bowler's head for a magnificent six. Parsons is in sublime touch, making it look effortless!

And suddenly, the crowd went silent! Harmer delivers a full, off-pace ball, which Breetzke taps to mid-off and calls for a quick single. But Parsons, caught up in the action, is slow to respond. He hesitates, and by the time he starts running, it’s too late. M

arkram’s throw is pinpoint, and Stubbs has no trouble smashing the stumps. Parsons is fuming, and honestly, it’s a tough one to call—he couldn’t have set off until the ball passed Jansen. Still, SEC won’t be complaining.

DSG 45/1 (7)

What a moment!

Klaasen’s gone, and it’s a game-changer! The ball comes through on a back-of-a-length delivery, nipping and spinning sharply from the surface. Klaasen, caught in no man’s land, pokes at it and sends it straight up. Aiden Markram, with eyes like a hawk, dives forward and takes a fantastic catch. The crowd at Kingsmead goes dead quiet, and you can feel the weight of this wicket, this one’s massive for the defending champions.

DSG 54/4 (10.2)

Mulder steps up! Harmer floats one up, and it lands perfectly in the arc outside off. Mulder doesn’t hesitate, lines it up and goes for the slog-sweep, sending the ball sailing over cow corner. And guess what? A fan in the stands snags it with one hand. What a catch.

DSG 76/4 (13)

Mulder's on fire! Harmer delivers a back-of-a-length ball around off, and Mulder doesn’t hesitate. He lines it up perfectly and smashes it clean over deep mid-wicket for a massive six! That ball’s gone a long way.

De Kock swings hard at a full delivery from around the wicket but misses, and the ball clips his back leg before knocking over the stumps. The leg stump lies flat on the ground, a fitting symbol of DSG's struggles in this chase.

DSG 98/5 (16)

And Mulder’s gone! He attempts a wild swing at a short ball outside off, but only manages a massive top edge. The ball hangs in the air, swirling around, but Tom Abell keeps his focus, tracking it all the way before calmly taking the catch.

DSG 106/7 (17.2)

The reigning champions secured their first win of the season in emphatic fashion, crushing Durban Super Giants, who were bowled out for just 107 in 18.1 overs. With a dominant performance, the defending champs made light work of the chase, sealing a thumping victory over DSG.

Noor Ahmad, Player of the Match said, 'Just try to contribute with the team, and bowl wicket to wicket. The communication is very good, we talk to each other about the wickets and condition, and different batters. I just keep it simple, back my natural ability. Not happy with this result but we will come back stronger.'

That’s all from this match. We'll be back with another live blog soon. Until then, good night.