Betway SA20 Season 4 Play-off race is tightening up

The race for the top four play-off spots has intensified as Betway SA20 Season 4 enters the business end of the season.

All six teams are currently still in contention for a play-off berth heading into the final rounds of the round-robin stage.

Pretoria Capitals currently top the standings with 20 points from eight matches. Below the Capitals there is a log jam for positions with Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape tied on 19 points in second and third positions respectively. Both teams have though played one game less than the Capitals but Royals are placed higher than Sunrisers due to having won a higher number of matches.

Betway SA20’s regulations place a higher priority on number of victories followed by net run-rate.

Joburg Super Kings are in fourth place with 17 points after seven matches followed by Durban’s Super Giants three points adrift with 14 points. DSG have though already completed nine matches.

Closing out the table, defending champions MI Cape Town have 10 points with two round-robin matches remaining.

Breakdown of each team’s run into the play-offs

Pretoria Capitals

Matches: 8 | Wins: 4 | Losses: 3 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 1 | Net Run-Rate: 0.403 | Bonus Points: 2 | Points: 20

The Capitals seem to have hit a hot streak at just the right time with three victories in a row after their 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Eastern Cape at home.

West Indian Sherfane Rutherford has been a revelation, whilst their big players such as Dewald Brevis and captain Keshav Maharaj seem to be finding form at just the right time.

They have two matches remaining against the Paarl Royals at home on Thursday followed by a Jukskei derby with Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers.

Paarl Royals

Matches: 7 | Wins: 4 | Losses: 1 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 1 | Net Run-Rate: -0.820 | Bonus Points: 1 | Points: 19

The self-proclaimed ‘underdogs’ of the competition have stood every time when it mattered most.

Their record successful run-chase at home against Durban’s Super Giants was the perfect example of their dogged determination with none other than their inspirational Zimbabwean Sikander Raza taking them over the line with a last ball six.

Royals have three games remaining against Pretoria Capitals (Thursday), Durban’s Super Giants (Saturday) and Joburg Super Kings (Monday).

Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Matches: 7 | Wins: 3 | Losses: 2 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 2 | Net Run-Rate: 2.269 | Bonus Points: 3 | Points: 19

A best-ever start saw the Sunrisers collect three bonus point victories upfront to set them on their way.

A couple of washouts and two home defeats have though stemmed the momentum of the two-time champions, who will be eager to get back to winning ways sooner rather than later.

Sunrisers face JSK at home on Wednesday before their double header against MI Cape Town at Newlands (Friday) and St George’s Park (Sunday).

*Adrian Birrell’s team could become the first side to qualify for the play-offs should they beat JSK at St George’s Park today as it would raise them to 23 points.

Joburg Super Kings

Matches: 7 | Wins: 3 | Losses: 2 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 2 | Net Run-Rate: 0.572 | Bonus Points: 1 | Points: 17

JSK have endured a stop-start campaign but they are still very much in the running for a play-off spot.

They have lost inspirational captain Faf du Plessis to injury but have brought in a capable replacement in Leus du Plooy.

Super Kings also have three matches, starting with Sunrisers on Wednesday, followed by a derby against Pretoria Capitals (Saturday) before the final away trip Paarl Royals (Monday).

*JSK also have the opportunity to become the first side to qualify for the play-offs should they beat SEC at St George’s Park today as it would lift them to 21 points.

Durban’s Super Giants

Matches: 9 | Wins: 2 | Losses: 4 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 3 | Net Run-Rate: -0.591 | Bonus Points: 1 | Points: 14

It has been a disappointing season for Durban's Super Giants considering the amount of talent they have at their disposal.

It has left them with just one match remaining against Paarl Royals at Kingsmead on Saturday with a maximum attainable points tally of 19 points should they win with a bonus point.

*DSG’s play-off chances are no longer in their own hands as a JSK victory over Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Wednesday will eliminate Lance Klusener’s team as Paarl Royals and SEC will both finish ahead of them by virtue of more wins even if they win their final match with a bonus point. ​ ​

MI Cape Town

Matches: 8 | Wins: 2 | Losses: 4 | Tie: 0 | No Result: 2 | Net Run-Rate: -1.382 | Bonus Points: 0 | Points: 10

The defending champions stumbled out of the starting blocks by only managing to win their first game at the fifth attempt. They followed it up with an ‘El Clasico’ double over Joburg Super Kings but fell again at Centurion against the Capitals.

Robin Peterson’s side have two back-to-back matches against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Friday and Sunday respectively and need a maximum haul of victories and bonus points to lift them to 20 points if they are going to stand any chance of progression.

*Defeat in either match against Sunrisers Eastern Cape will eliminate MI Cape Town.