SA20: Paarl Royals' dugout breaks into a smile after sealing semi-final spot against Pretoria Capitals

The SA20 2023 has provided fans with many memorable moments, but not many will be as memorable as the way Paarl Royals (PR) reached the semi-finals of the tournament. In the 30th match of the tournament, PR faced off against the Pretoria Capitals (PRE), and the way they won the match left most in their dugout in disbelief.

As PR faced PC in the match-up, Royals were chasing a huge target of 227 but they just had to score 163 runs to ensure their net run rate doesn’t fall below that of the Durban's Super Giants as both teams were level on points. The match, however, ended in a highly intriguing way.

Royals needed just four runs off five balls with two wickets in hand to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament. That was when the wicket-keeper Phil Salt failed to pick up the googly from Adil Rashid and the ball rolled down to the boundary ropes, giving Royals the runs they needed to qualify.

Royals, however, lost the match by 59 runs, but it did not matter as they held onto their fourth spot and made it to the semis. The otherwise tense dugout of the team was ecstatic after being gifted the runs which propelled them to the last four stage of the tournament.

Paarl Royals will face Pretoria Capitals in semi-finals 

After facing defeat at the hands of Capitals, Royals will once again be going against them in the semi-finals of the competition. Capitals topped the table with 32 points in ten games. Their opponents will be depending a lot on the 32-year-old Jos Buttler, who scored a fabulous knock of 70 off 45 balls in the last match and was instrumental in the team reaching the semis.

The two will go up against each other in the first semi-final in Johannesburg. Joburg Super Kings will be going up against Sunrisers Easter Cape in the second semi-final.