Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2023 SA20
Paarl Royals host Pretoria Capitals in the next match of the SA20 in 2023.
The start of play is scheduled for 1.30pm local time (11.30am GMT) on Sunday, January 22.
The game will be staged at Boland Park in Paarl.
It's not a good time to be a Paarl Royals fan. Four defeats in six matches, including three in their past four, and a signifcant gap already opening up between themselves and the top three. In their most recent outing, they suffered a 13-run defeat at the hands of MI Cape Town, failing to chase down 143 despite the best efforts of Jos Buttler (68 off 58).
Pretoria Capitals, by contrast, are flying high at the top of the table, with four wins from five matches. The only side to get the better of them to date are Joburg Super Kings while in their most recent outing, they bowled Durban Super Giants out for 80 before completing their chase with eight wickets and 74 balls to spare.
These two sides are yet to meet in the SA20.
Jos Buttler is cutting a lonely figure with the bat for the Royals [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]
Batting is a huge problem for Paarl Royals. In their first six matches, they've been restricted to a total under 150 on three occasions, including twice failing to get beyond the 130-mark.
Buttler has scored a team-leading 197 runs, including two half-centuries, but is struggling to free his arms, striking at a sedate (by his standards) 120.12. David Miller and Wihan Lubbe are the only other Royals batters with 100-plus runs to their name while Lubbe and Eoin Morgan have scored half-centuries.
Pretoria Capitals, by contrast, have scored in excess of 190 on two occasions and restricted their opponents to sub-125 totals twice. Anrich Nortje has 10 wickets and an economy of 5.63, while Eathan Bosch, Adil Rashid and Jimmy Neesham have 18 wickets combined.
Paarl Royals need players to step up and support Buttler or they could be staring a three-match losing streak in the face.
A warm day, with temperatures hitting around 27 degrees Celsius at the start of play on Sunday.
Pretoria Capitals have 10 ever-present players in their XI, with Migael Pretorius and Senuran Muthusamy competing for the final spot. Muthusamy picked up 3 for 12 against the Super Giants so should retain his place.
For Paarl Royals, Jason Roy's time at the top of the order must nearly be up: the England international has scored 71 runs at a strike rate of 92.20 in six matches. The question is, who replaces him?
Paarl Royals: Ferisco Adams, Corbin Bosch, Jos Buttler, Bjorn Fortuin, Evan Jones, Wihan Lubbe, Imraan Manack, David Miller, Eoin Morgan, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jason Roy, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ramon Simmonds, Mitchell van Buuren, Dane Vilas, Codi Yusuf
Pretoria Capitals: Eathan Bosch, Theunis de Bruyn, Shane Dadswell, Cameron Delport, Daryn Dupavillon, Will Jacks, Josh Little, Marco Marais, Kusal Mendis, Senuran Muthusamy, Jimmy Neesham, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Migael Pretorius, Adil Rashid, Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt, Shaun von Berg
*Squads are for the whole SA20 and not specific to this match
Anrich Nortje has taken 10 wickets for Pretoria Capitals [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]
Paarl Royals: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Wihan Lubbe, Dane Vilas, Mitchell van Buuren, David Miller, Evan Jones, Ferisco Adams, Lungi Ngidi, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi
Pretoria Capitals: Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Theunis de Bruyn, Rilee Rossouw, Shane Dadswell, Jimmy Neesham, Wayne Parnell, Eathan Bosch, Adil Rashid, Anrich Nortje, Senuran Muthusamy
Pretoria Capitals are the much-fancied 8/13 favourites with Betway. You can get the Paarl Royals win at 11/10.
Barring some sort of batting miracle, you'd expect Pretoria Capitals to take the points.
Tickets are available for between 70 rand (£3.50) and 160 rand (£8), and can be bought through Ticketpro.
Sky Sports has the UK rights to SA20 matches for five years, and the games will be spread across Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Mix.
In India, Sports18 and Jio Cinema will broadcast and stream all the matches.
SuperSport will carry the games to South Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
In Australia, you'll need to go to Foxtel for full coverage.
The Cricketer will carry match reports from every game.
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