Dolphins power to first T20 Challenge win

In the latest round of the 2024/25 T20 Challenge, the Knights earned their second win with a 32-run victory over the Momentum Multiply Titans, whilst the Hollywoodbets Dolphins secured their first triumph of the competition against World Sports Betting Western Province.

The Knights defeated the Titans by 32 runs at SuperSport Park after being sent in to bat first. The visitors posted an impressive total of 223/6, powered by standout innings from Rilee Rossouw (66), Jacques Snyman (44) and Aubrey Swanepoel (37*).

Snyman and Swanepoel, both of whom will represent South Africa in the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes, showcased their skill in this high-scoring affair.

The Titans fell short in their chase, reaching 191/6 by the end of their 20 overs. Donovan Ferreira led the effort with 48 runs, supported by Sibonelo Makhanya (34) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (31) but it was not enough to overcome the Knights' substantial total.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins secured their first win of the T20 Challenge, overcoming Western Province by four wickets at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead.

Western Province batted first, posting 167/6, thanks to a solid 53 from Jonathan Bird, with contributions from Mihlali Mpongwana (30*) and Valentine Kitime (26).

The Dolphins' bowling attack was led by Andile Simelane, who took three wickets and Okuhle Cele, who added two scalps.

In response, the Dolphins chased down the target, reaching 169/6 in 19 overs, with Marques Ackerman playing a match-winning innings of 74 runs.

Ackerman was ably supported by Jason Smith (39) and Bryce Parsons (27*), as the Dolphins crossed the line with four wickets in hand.

Notably, Wihan Lubbe, captain of the Auto Investments North West Dragons, wore the leading run-scorer Excellence in Performance Cap heading into the weekend's fixtures whilst Malusi Siboto (Knights) and Junaid Dawood (DP World Lions) remained tied as the top wicket-takers, donning their yellow caps.

As the T20 Challenge heads into the final round robin stages, anticipation is building for the play-offs.

The 2024/25 T20 Challenge play-offs will feature two qualifiers and an eliminator as the ‘Woza Nawe’ call for fans to engage across the country continues with thrilling contests and interactive fan experiences.

With only a few matches left before the play-offs, teams will be looking to secure their spots, and fans can look forward to even more action-packed cricket as the competition heats up with more prizes up for grabs.

UPCOMING T20 CHALLENGE MATCHES

Tuesday @ 6pm: Momentum Multiply Titans v Auto Investments North West Dragons - Supersport Park, Centurion

Wednesday @ 6pm: Goldrush Boland v Dafabet Warriors - Boland Park, Paarl

Wednesday @ 6pm: Knights v Hollywoodbets Dolphins - Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Wednesday @ 6pm: DP World Lions v World Sports Betting Western Province - DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

UPCOMING T20 KNOCKOUT MATCHES

Semi-Final 1: Wednesday: Eastern Storm v Northern Cape Heat

Semi-Final 2: Thursday: ACDC Express Tuskers v Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers