Paarl Royals vs Pretoria Capitals, SA20, Today Match Prediction 12 January 2024

PR vs PC Match Prediction & Analysis

There was huge disappointment on Wednesday with the opening game of this year's SA20 washed out and abandoned without a ball bowled in Gqeberha. However, the games come thick and fast in the SA20 and after Durban's Super Giants go head to head with MI Cape Town on Thursday, it is the turn of Paarl Royals and Pretoria Capitals to get their tournament underway on Friday evening.

We can expect to see a big English influence on this game with the opening batters for both sides likely to all be England internationals. And with a T20 World Cup coming up in five months time, all four will be determined to come out of this game as the leading run scorer in the match!

Both teams will be desperate to get off to a winning start and this could be a very closely fought game.

RECENT PERFORMANCE

PR

PC

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Paarl Royals Preview

The opening pair of Jos Buttler and Jason Roy have batted together many times and their understanding at the top of the order could be a big advantage for Paarl Royals. Buttler did not go past 70 in the 2023 SA20 but he brought up four half-centuries and he will be determined to finish with the most runs in the tournament once more. Alongside Buttler and Roy, skipper David Miller is another dangerous batter who contributed 227 runs last year.

Although they also have some talented bowling all-rounders, we expect the key bowlers for Paarl Royals to be Fabian Allen and Tabraiz Shamsi in the spin department with Lungi Ngidi and Obed McCoy leading the way for the pace attack. However, on this pitch in Paarl, the spinners could hold the key.

Paarl Royals Predicted Playing XI:

Jos Buttler (wk), Jason Roy, Wihan Lubbe, Dane Vilas, David Miller (c), Andile Phehlukwayo, Fabian Allen, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Obed McCoy

Paarl Royals Actual Playing XI:

David Miller, Jason Roy, Wihan Lubbe, Jos Buttler, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Obed McCoy, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Fabian Allen, Mitchell Van Buuren

Pretoria Capitals Preview

The Capitals went all the way to the final last year and the Pretoria based franchise will be hoping to go one better in this year's tournament. However, that may be easier said than done as they will be without right-arm fast South Africa international Anrich Nortje who has been ruled out of the campaign with injury.

Fans in Paarl of both teams will be excited to see England's keeper-batter Phil Salt at the top of the order for Pretoria Capitals. Although he went unsold in December's IPL auction, he brushed off that disappointment by hitting back to back T20I centuries against West Indies. Commentators and opposition bowlers are likely to see a big change in the confidence of Salt in this year's competition and we could see a strike-rate competition between him and Will Jacks during first wicket partnerships!

Pretoria Capitals Predicted Playing XI:

Will Jacks, Phil Salt (wk), Theunis de Bruyn, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Jimmy Neesham, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell (c), Migael Pretorius, Adil Rashid, Daryn Dupavillon

Pretoria Capitals Actual Playing XI:

Theunis de Bruyn, Colin Ingram, Rilee Rossouw, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Senuran Muthusamy, James Neesham, Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Adil Rashid, Philip Salt

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

We can expect dry conditions throughout this match so there are no worries of another washout! The temperature will be over 25 degrees from the start of the game and according to the forecast it will only drop by a couple of degrees by the end of the fixture.

PR vs PC Pitch Report

Boland Park is a venue which does not provide the electric pace of some venues in South Africa and is one where the spinners often feel more comfortable and in the game. With the ball not coming onto the bat at such speed, scoring runs can be a little tougher and any score over 165 will be very hard to chase down.

Toss: To Bowl

The pitch will not deteriorate or change across the game so we expect the usual approach of teams wishing to field first in this match. It will also be tough to work out what a par score is ahead of the match.