Three teams have a chance to secure their spots in the semifinals of the YesPlay Pro20 Cup this weekend, as the Super 8s stage of the competition reaches boiling point.
DP World Lions continue to occupy top position in the table and just need a win to make sure of a last four berth, while Dafabet Boland and Dafabet Warriors – who make up the top three – could join them with bonus point wins in their matches.
After an impressive display in the round robin where they finished top of Pool B, Lions continued that good form to win their opening two Super 8s matches.
First, they put World Sports Betting Eastern Storm to the sword by nine wickets before beating cross-Jukskei rivals Momentum Multiply Titans by 15 runs.
They take on YesPlay Cobras in Cape Town in a match the home side needs to win, as they currently occupy the precarious final qualifying spot.
Complicating matters further for the hosts is that they are yet to win a match in the Super 8s, going down to Warriors and having their match against Hollywoodbets Dolphins abandoned.
Earlier in the day high-flying Boland will also have an opportunity to go through with a convincing victory over Garden Route Badgers.
They come into this one fresh from another sensational finish to their match against Warriors, this time winning the Super Over to go to second place in the standings and well on course for another appearance in the latter stages of the tournament.
They’re facing a side that has found their rhythm, despite coming into the Super 8s with no point to their name.
Their two wins against Easterns and Titans have boosted their chances of a semifinal place, which would make them the only Division 2 side still left in the competition.
Sunday morning will see a clash of two teams with completely different fortunes, as Easterns take on Warriors in Benoni.
The former have absolutely no chance of advancing despite stunning Dolphins with an eight-run win (DLS Method) on Friday.
Conversely Warriors could not only lock down another semifinal outing but also move top of the table should other results go their way.
This would also offer them a chance to defend the title they won last year in the newly rebranded competition.
Titans finished their pool stage with a near hundred per cent record after winning six of their seven matches but have not been able to replicate that form in the Super 8s.
Their encounter against Dolphins in Centurion is crucial for both teams.
Having gone down to both Badgers and Lions already and sitting fifth, a loss at home this weekend could spell the end of their ambitions while a positive result would put their campaign back on track and keep the top four above them honest.
Dolphins are currently in seventh spot but still have a remote opportunity to sneak through.
They need to win their remaining match and hope for good fortunes elsewhere in order to book themselves a ticket to YesPlay Newlands on 14 November.