Joburg Super Kings vs Pretoria Capitals Prediction: Super Kings are yet to open their account

Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals are going head to head in the 13th Match of South Africa T20 League at DP World Wanderers Stadium, Sandton, South Africa on 20 Jan 2024. Super Kings are yet to open their account in this years competition. Who will win this game of cricket?

Joburg has yet to secure their first victory in this season's SA20. They had a washout against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and then suffered three consecutive losses to MI Cape Town, Durban's Super Giants, and the Paarl Royals. However, they have an opportunity to bounce back against the Capitals.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been unavailable to play for the Super Kings in this SA20 season due to injury. If Joburg can include Coetzee, a Proteas star, in their XI, it will greatly enhance their bowling ambitions. The decision to play Coetzee will depend on whether he recovers in time for this match.

On the other hand, fellow fast bowler Lizaad Williams has performed impressively for Joburg this season, taking six wickets in three matches. Maintaining an average of two wickets per match is an exceptional achievement in this format of the game. We can anticipate another outstanding performance from Williams in this match.

In terms of batting, Leus du Plooy has been the standout player for Joburg. He is the only batter from the team to have scored over 100 runs in this SA20 season. However, du Plooy will require more support from his fellow batters, including Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis, and others.

Faf du Plessis(c), Reeza Hendricks, Leus du Plooy, Wayne Madsen, Moeen Ali, Donovan Ferreira(w), Romario Shepherd, Aaron Phangiso, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Imran Tahir

The Pretoria Capitals lost their last two games against the Paarl Royals, but managed to hand the Durban's Super Giants their first defeat in the ongoing SA20 tournament. Building off their victory over Durban, the Capitals are aiming for a second consecutive win against an opponent who has yet to secure a victory.

The return of all-rounder Wayne Parnell is a significant motivation for the Capitals. Parnell, who missed the beginning of the tournament due to injury, has reclaimed the captaincy from New Zealand's Jimmy Neesham. Parnell's presence will likely enhance the team's performance both with the bat and ball in this match.

England's all-rounder, Will Jacks, is a superstar player for the Capitals. His impressive century and crucial wickets against Durban showcased his talents. While Jacks excelled in Centurion conditions, he may face more challenges at the Wanderers. Nonetheless, his contribution remains invaluable for Pretoria.

Unfortunately, fast bowler Anrich Nortje will continue to be absent from the tournament due to injury. Seamers Ethan Bosch and Corbin Bosch will need to consistently perform well in Nortje's absence. Daryn Dupavillon, a fast bowler, can provide the desired pace that is missing without Nortje in the lineup.

Philip Salt(w), Will Jacks, Theunis de Bruyn, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, James Neesham, Corbin Bosch, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell(c), Hardus Viljoen, Adil Rashid

Joburg won the toss and chose to field first in the initial Wanderers match of this SA20 season. In a previous tournament, MI Cape Town scored a total of 243 after losing the toss against Joburg at the Wanderers, indicating that it is a high-scoring ground. A competitive target in the first innings would be around 180-plus. While the conditions are generally favorable for seamers, spinners should not be disregarded. It is possible for a specialist slow bowler to open the bowling during the powerplay. On the day of the match, there is no prediction of rain in Johannesburg, so a complete fixture is expected. The Capitals have gained some momentum by defeating Durban, while Joburg may be struggling due to their three consecutive losses. Pretoria's batting and bowling strength seems to be superior to the Super Kings'. The Capitals are favored to win this match.