Durban’s Super Giants pulled off a memorable two-wicket victory against table-toppers Sunrisers Eastern Cape in a pulsating run fest at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha, registering our first win of 2026 and, notably, our first-ever victory over the Sunrisers in SA20 history.
A blistering 26-ball 45 from Marques Ackerman, combined with a five-star bowling effort led by spinners Noor Ahmad and Sunil Narine, laid the foundation for a night to remember.
The contest began with an outstanding bowling performance from the Super Giants, who set the tone early by striking regularly. Liam Livingstone made an immediate impact, while Noor Ahmad continued his fine form with another crucial breakthrough. Gerald Coetzee, Sunil Narine and Kwena Maphaka all chipped in with a wicket apiece, ensuring the Sunrisers never truly ran away with the innings.
Despite a strong late surge from Tristan Stubbs, who remained unbeaten on 47 off 30 balls, the hosts were kept in check and restricted to 158 for 5 in their 20 overs - a competitive total, but one the Super Giants felt was within reach.
In response, Aiden Markram came out firing, giving the chase early momentum with a lively 25 off just 13 balls. At the other end, Marques Ackerman looked in sublime touch, anchoring the innings with a classy 45 off 26 deliveries. His knock, featuring six crisp boundaries and a towering six, kept the run rate in control and applied consistent pressure on the Sunrisers’ bowling attack.
However, the chase went right down to the wire. With wickets falling and nerves fraying, the match turned into a tense finish. Gerald Coetzee produced a moment of brilliance with a clutch six in the penultimate over, swinging the momentum back our way. The drama wasn’t over yet, but Evan Jones kept his composure, striking a crucial boundary in the final over to seal a thrilling two-wicket win for Durban’s Super Giants.
Next up, we face Paarl Royals on January 13. With momentum finally on our side, the Super Giants will be aiming to make it back-to-back wins and stay firmly on track in our push towards playoff qualification.
