Joburg Super Kings will need to change their strategy in this game.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) will face Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in the 24th match of SA20 2026. Both teams lost their previous game – SEC by two wickets, while JSK lost by 36 runs.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Quinton de Kock (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Tristan Stubbs (c), Marco Jansen, Lewis Gregory, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Adam Milne, Lutho Sipamla
Joburg Super Kings: James Vince, Michael Kyle-Pepper (wk), Matthew de Villiers, Steve Stolk, Wiaan Mulder, Dian Forrester, Donovan Ferreira (c), Akeal Hosein, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Daniel Worrall
The pitches in Gqeberha have heavily favoured pacers, who have taken 70.73% of total wickets at an average of 24.65 this season. There’s always some new-ball movement for pacers at this venue, and the trend should continue. However, once the new shine goes, the pitch should become flat for batting.
The average first-innings score in Gqeberha this season has been 165. Teams batting second have won two out of three games here. The team winning the toss might elect to field first, with a score of around 170 being a fighting total.
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In the five innings Joburg Super Kings have fielded, pacers have bowled only 13 overs in the powerplay, with spinners bowling 53.57% of overs during the field restrictions. Spinners have also fetched them ample success. However, they should frontload pacers for this game.
In Gqeberha, pacers have taken 39 wickets at 19.61 runs apiece and conceded only 7.08 runs per over in the powerplay since 2025. In contrast, spinners have only scalped four wickets at an average of 42.50 and an economy rate of 7.39 here. Among all SA20 venues, pacers’ average and economy rate in the powerplay are the best in Gqeberha; spinners have the worst average.
For Joburg Super Kings, Nandre Burger and Daniel Worrall should start the innings since both generate ample movement and specialise in bowling with the new ball. Since 2025, Burger has seven wickets at an average of 23.71 and has conceded only 7.21 runs per over in the powerplay. He bowls around 53.62% dot balls and leaks a boundary every 6.57 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Worrall has six scalps at 38.83 runs apiece and an economy rate of 8.84 in this phase. These numbers don’t show his real value, but he can generate significant movement with the new ball. In Gqeberha, he has seven wickets at an average of 18.57, and since he previously played for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the Australian pacer has previous knowledge of this venue.
So, JSK will need to shift their strategy and slot spinners in the middle overs, where their job will be to check the run flow. Pacers should be employed heavily, and if required, get extended spells. That will help them run through the in-form opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow early in the innings.
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