Wonderful half-centuries from Rubin Hermann and Dan Lawrence, along with a cameo from Sikandar Raza, handed the Paarl Royals a record-breaking six-wicket Betway SA20 victory over the Durban Super Giants at Boland Park in Paarl on Tuesday evening.
Set a daunting target of 187 in 20 overs, the homes side reached their goal in dramatic fashion, as Raza struck the final ball of the match, a full toss bowled by David Wiese (3-0-35-1), for six over square-leg, ending on 191-4.
The Super Giants, who had been sent in to bat by David Miller at the toss earlier today, piled up the runs with Aiden Markram top-scoring with 66 as the visitors posted a daunting 186-5.
The previous highest successful run-chase at Boland Park was 176-1, by the Royals against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape last season.
The home side broke that record by reaching their target, which also is the highest total by a team batting second.
The third-wicket stand between Herman and Lawrence of 106 from only 66 balls, also was the highest for the Royals, beating the previous best of 88 between Miller and Joe Root in 2025 against the Pretoria Capitals in Centurion.
A crucial third-wicket stand for the men in pink 💯#BetwaySA20 #PRvDSG #WelcomeToIncredible pic.twitter.com/ykMCMkhXSi
— Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) January 13, 2026
It was a phenomenal chase from the hosts, despite losing the early wickets of Asa Tribe (3), clean-bowled by Wiese, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (18), excellently caught by Evan Jones running in from backward square-leg.
Lawrence, who faced 41 balls striking two fours and four sixes, eventually fell for a well-played 63, caught by Jones on the third-man fence from the bowling of Eathan Bosch (4-0-29-2), leaving the home crowd silently stunned.
However, Hermann and Raza combined brilliantly – although leaving fans on the edge of their seats – for an unbeaten stand of 46 from only 31 balls to see their team home.
Hermann struck three fours and three sixes, ending unbeaten on 65 from 45 deliveries while Raza’s 13-ball cameo included two fours and two sixes, to end ecstatically on 27 not out after Miller fell for just two.
𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 🏅
— Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) January 13, 2026
And what a knock that was Rubin Hermann👏#BetwaySA20 #PRvDSG #WelcomeToIncredible pic.twitter.com/cGM3iPUyag
The fielding from DSG was not up to standard as David Bedingham dropped Lawrence when he was on 41 from the bowling of Liam Livingstone (1-0-19-0) while Hermann was dropped by Jos Buttler from the bowling of Bosch in the covers, late in the game with Hermann on 54.
MARKRAM LEADING FROM THE FRONT
Earlier, a Markram’s excellent half-century helped the Super Giants to that daunting total of 186-5, which included two boundaries and three sixes from 46 balls.
Sunil Narine provided some impetus upfront with a quickfire 22 from 11 balls in an opening stand of 33 from 21 balls.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (4-0-22-2) made the initial breakthrough in his first over, having Narine caught at long-on by Hermann after cracking three fours and a six.
Former Royals star Buttler (3) lasted just nine deliveries before a brilliant stumping by Pretorius from the bowling of Bjorn Fortuin (4-0-32-1) sent Buttler packing.
Markram then went into overdrive, along with Bedingham (25) who played an anchor role.
Markram dominated the third-wicket stand of 76, which came from just 57 balls as the Proteas star scored 51 of his runs from 31 balls in the stand.
Leading from the front 👏©️
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 13, 2026
Aiden Markram has an impactful say at Boland Park 🏏#BetwaySA20 | #SSCricket pic.twitter.com/tLGVfB3alT
Just as the stand looked to take the game away from the home side, Bedingham looked to go after Mujeeb but struck the spinner straight into the hands of Hermann on the mid-wicket fence.
Markram, who had been dropped on 29 by Tribe (2-0-17-0) off his own bowling, finally ran out of luck, caught behind from an inside edge onto his pads and well-caught by Pretorius.
Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Livingstone (32 not out) gave the innings the boost it needed as the pair cracked 52 runs from just 25 balls with Klaasen striking two boundaries and two sixes from 18 balls before top-edging Nqobani Mokoena (4-0-56-2) to Pretorius behind the stumps.
Livingstone did not let the departure of Klaasen dampen his spirit as the England international smashed four maximums along with a boundary from only 10 balls to help the Super Giants set Paarl Royals what would be a record chase.
The win moves the Royals into second place on the log, one point behind the Capitals who are on 20 points having played a game more.
DSG have one match remaining – against the Royals in Durban – and are effectively out of the running, although a small mathematical chance could allow them into the playoffs through the back door.
The Royals take on the Capitals in a table-top clash on Thursday at SuperSport Park in Centurion while DSG have to wait until Saturday before hosting the Royals in their final match of the season.
PAARL ROYALS: Asa Tribe, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Rubin Hermann, Daniel Lawrence, David Miller (capt), Sikandar Raza, Delano Potgieter, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bjorn Fortuin, Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman.
DURBAN SUPER GIANTS: Aiden Markram (capt), Sunil Narine, Jos Buttler, David Bedingham, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Liam Livingstone, Evan Jones, David Wiese, Eathan Bosch, Simon Harmer, Noor Ahmad.