SA20 2023: Twitter reacts as Pretoria Capitals beat Paarl Royals to reach final

Andile Phehlukwayo took three for 29 to restrict the Capitals to just 153/8 while bowling first for the Royals.

By Sumeet Kavthale

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Adil Rashid vs PR
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Adil Rashid vs PR. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Pretoria Capitals beat Paarl Royals by 29 runs in the first semi-final of the SA20 2023 to book a place in the final on Tuesday (February 8). Facing each other in less than 24 hours in different cities, the Capitals posted a total of 153/8 while batting first with Rilee Rossouw scoring a fifty. Then Adil Rashid and James Neesham shone with a ball to bowl out the Royals for just 124 runs in 19 overs.

David Miller won the toss and elected to field first at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg with two changes to the playing XI. Tabraiz Shamsi and Dane Vilas came in place of Mitchell van Buuren and Codi Yusuf while the Cpitals remained unchanged after their thumping 59-run win over the Royals in the last match.

Miller's decision to bowl first seemed successful with Bjorn Fortuin taking Kusal Mendis's early wicket, who smashed 80 off 41 in the last game. Stand-in skipper Theunis de Bruyn and Phil Salt struggled to time the ball and go big in the powerplay overs. The returning Shamsi dismissed both de Bruyn and Salt, and the Capitals were struggling at 53/3 in nine overs.

But the in-form Rilee Rossouw stood firm at one end and kept the runs flowing steadily. He reached the fifty with a big six and guided Pretoria Capitals to a fighting total of 153 in 20 overs. Rossouw scored 56 off 41, and Eathan Bosch contributed a crucial 22 from 10. Andile Phehlukwayo took three and Shamsi grabbed two big wickets for the Royals.

The Royals struggled in their chase from the get-go and were under early pressure. Bosch dismissed Jason Roy for a duck on the innings' second delivery and took a big wicket of Jos Buttler's in the third over. Two early dismissals forced the Royals under pressure as they kept failing to form meaningful partnerships. 

Adil Rashid dismissed Dane Vilas and Paul Stirling, while Rossouw took Eoin Morgan's valuable wicket in the 12th over. James Neesham bowled out Evan Jones for a duck in the 14th over and the Royals were struggling at 94/6 after 14 overs.

Miller kept the Royals' hopes alive by dragging his team to closer to the target but struggled to go big. Royals needed 30 off the last 12 balls but Anrich Nortje's double-wicket maiden over ended the Royals' resistance in style. Nortje, Rashid, and Neesham grabbed two wickets each to boost the Capitals to the final with a 29-run win.

Here is how Twitter is reacting to Pretoria Capitals' win over Paarl Royals in SA20 semi-final 1:

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SA20 2024Pretoria CapitalsPaarl RoyalsAdil RashidRilee Rossouw