Joe Root to Miss SA20 Play-offs, “It’s Never Hard to Go Back and Play International Cricket for Your Country”

Feroz Shaik
29 Jan 2025
10:41

Paarl Royals became the first team to win all their home matches in a single season when they beat Durban’s Super Giants by six wickets in their Betway SA20 match in Paarl on Monday night.

England international Joe Root will be heading to India to join England
England international Joe Root will be heading to India to join England

Their 100% home record and away wins against Pretoria Capitals, MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants saw them accumulate 28 points to secure a place in the top four while one more point in their remaining two games against the Joburg Super Kings on Thursday, 30 January and Sunriser’s Eastern Cape on Saturday, 1 February secures them a place in the top two.

Paarl Royals restricts Durban Super Giants to 143 runs

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Durban’s Super Giants posted 143 for seven from their 20 overs. After losing Quinton de Kock in their first over for a duck, Brandon King for three and Bryce Parsons for 16, Kane Williamson and Marcus Stoinis shared a fourth wicket partnership of 53 before Williamson fell to Bjorn Fortuin for 45, giving Fortuin his second wicket after bowling de Kock in the first over. The Super Giants lost three further wickets, the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen for 13, Wiaan Mulder for two and Jon Jon Smuts for a duck while Stoinis was unbeaten on 55 from 40 balls (5x4’s,2x6’s). Fortuin finished with figures of two for 20 from his four overs while Kwena Maphaka bagged two for 22, including the prized wicket of Klaasen who was brilliantly caught and bowled.

The home side got off to the worst possible start in their run chase, losing the in- form Joe Root off the first ball of the innings when he was trapped lbw by Prenelan Subrayen. Lhuan-dre Pretorius and man of the match Rubin Hermann put on 91 runs for the second wicket before Hermann was caught by substitute fielder Junior Dala off Stoinis for 59 from 51 balls (4x4’s,2x6’s) while Pretorius was bowled by Keshav Maharaj 16 runs later for 43 from 29 balls (5x4’s,1x6).

Former India international Dinesh Karthik made a valuable 21 from 15 balls (2x6’s) but it was Mitchell van Buuren with 13 not out and Dayyaan Galiem with eight not out that took the Royals home.

Galiem wins it with a six in the last over for Paarl Royals

They went into the final over with six runs needed off the final six deliveries bowled by Mulder. The first ball was a dot ball. Two singles came off the next two deliveries which left four to get off three deliveries. A wide followed by a dot ball left the Royals needing three of the final two balls before Galiem hit the penultimate ball for six to give his side the win.

Durban’s Super Giants play their final game against Joburg Super Kings on Saturday, 1 February.

Joe Root, who heads to India to join England on their tour and will not be available for the Royals in the play-offs said being present in every game played a huge part in their success thus far.

Joe Root
I think the fact that we had to be quite dynamic and had to assess the different surfaces and conditions that we faced, only losing one game to this point means that we’ve had to adapt to different surfaces and they’ve been quite different throughout the games that we have played here so I think that shows that we are trying to be really smart about how we make the most of what’s in front of us and we stay in present in each and every game which served us well to now.
Joe Root
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of being here both on and off the field. You got a great group of lads who’ve welcomed me brilliantly, made me feel a massive part of everything we’ve done both on and off the field and off course I’ll miss the latter stages of the tournament but you know it’s never hard to go back and play international cricket for your country. It’s one of the best privileges you’ll ever have and you’ve only got so long before it’s someone else’s opportunity to have that honour. As much as I’ll miss being here, I’ll relish the opportunity of playing for England again. Three big games in India and onto another major tournament in the Champions Trophy so a lot of exciting cricket to be had for me personally.
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