Super Kings to recover from mentally challenging week ahead of SA20 playoffs

The Joburg Super Kings will be hoping to recover from a mentally challenging week as they prepare to take on the Paarl Royals in their SA20 eliminator at the Wanderers on Wednesday night.

The winner of that match will head into the second qualifier, against the losing team of the first qualifier between Durban’s Super Giants and Sunrisers Eastern Cape, to see who will contest the competition final.

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It was a thrilling final week of pool action for the Super Kings, who felt all the emotions as they slipped in and out of the playoff places.

They thumped MI Cape Town after an eight over shootout at Newlands to move up into the final playoff place, got destroyed by the Sunrisers at the Wanderers to fall out out of the top four and then beat the Super Giants in a penultimate ball thriller to sneak back into mix.

“We are very tired. Even in our last game it felt like everything was going against us. So it is amazing in the game of cricket how you can wake up the next day and your fortunes change,” admitted captain Faf du Plessis after their final over win.

“We were watching that game (Pretoria Capitals v MI Cape Town) and they looked dead and buried. So we were thinking we had to get a bonus point win. But what a victory for them, they played really well.

“Then to come out in front of a great crowd to put in that performance in front of an unbelievable Super Giants team, I am very proud of that.”

Home playoffs

Du Plessis admitted that his side have not been happy with their performances this season, especially in front of a packed support at the Wanderers, but says they are happy they get to potentially play two playoff games in front of their home crowd.

“To be honest we have felt bad about our performances this season. We have had some amazing turnouts and we feel like we haven’t been playing to our full potential. We know when we do we are a dangerous team and tonight (against Super Giants) showed that,” said Du Plessis.

“Importantly we are playing at home. If we could have chosen it the way we wanted it would have been to have this back stretch of games at home. So we are playing here on Wednesday and even the game after is here.

“We should have a great crowd again and they will be behind us. If we can put in a performance like against the Super Giants again we will be a very difficult team to beat.”