Durbans Super Giants vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape, 18th Match, SA20, 2025-26 - CommentaryDSG vs SEC, 18th Match, SA20, 2025-26 - Commentary

The match has been abandoned. With rain not relenting, there was no other possible outcome. So another match in this tournament is affected by the weather. Hopefully that won't be the case going ahead. That's all for now. Until next time, it's goodbye!

19:15 Local Time, 17:15 GMT, 22:45 IST: There's nothing new to update. It's still drizzling in Kingsmead. Any chances of play happening look slim. The waiting game continues...

17:55 Local Time, 15:55 GMT, 21:25 IST: The drizzle continues to persist but that's not deterring the passionate fans from having a good time. The environment is electric out there with the DJ playing some nice music. The fans are waiting patiently for the drizzle to stop. We will keep you posted.

Jos Buttler: (On how does he adapt to these conditions) I think it starts with preparation, being aware that different grounds present different challenges, but without going in with too many preconceived ideas. I’ve played a lot of cricket now, so it’s about leaning on that experience. Once I’m out there in the middle, I try to read the situation, feel the conditions, and play what’s in front of me. We need to put together a complete performance. Hopefully, we can get out there and the rain stays away. It’s been a bit of a stop-start tournament for us, both in terms of getting games in and in our performances when we have played. But when you look down the lineup, there’s a lot of talent and a lot of high-class cricketers. Now it’s about bringing it all together. (On how does it feel being around youngsters and helping them in their careers) It’s great to catch up with them, have good conversations, and just share experiences. When you get to this stage of your career, you realise how important those little chats and moments can be. If you can help them in any way, whether it’s with their cricket or just confidence, then that’s really rewarding.

Jonny Bairstow: It's a great tournament and it feels fantastic to play in front of full crowds. (On what makes the opening partnership between him and de Kock work) I think we’ve both played a lot of cricket, so there’s not too much that we need to talk about out there. We go about things slightly differently and score in different areas, which really helps. It keeps the bowlers guessing, and when they miss, it often comes straight into our scoring zones. That’s a big part of it. And then there’s just being relaxed and backing ourselves to take the game on. (On their settled team environment) I mean, AD (Adrian Birrell - SEC head coach) is a great man, isn’t he? He builds teams around experience, but he also looks for a certain type of player and personality. Because of that, coming into the setup felt seamless. Everyone understands their role, and that makes it a really comfortable environment to perform in.

17:30 Local Time, 15:30 GMT, 21:00 IST: It's still raining in Kingsmead. It looks pretty gloomy right now. The weather forecast for later in the evening is not great as well. The only positive is that there's a strong wind accompanying the rain. So, let's hope the wind helps the weather to clear up. Stay tuned for more updates...

17:02 Local Time, 15:02 GMT, 20:32 IST: Oh no! It's raining in Durban at the moment. The covers are firmly in place. Not the welcome we wanted you to have. The toss has been delayed due to rain. Let's hope the weather clears up soon...

16:30 Local Time, 14:30 GMT, 20:00 IST: We are more than halfway through the league stage of this season’s SA20 and the competition has already gained steam. Table-toppers Sunrisers Eastern Cape will lock horns with fifth-placed Durban’s Super Giants at Kingsmead today. SEC have been dominant in the three games they have won, securing a bonus point on each occasion. Apart from that, they lost a close game against the Royals and they had a rained-out game against Joburg. Their top-order has fired while their variety with the ball has shone through as well. The defending champions are shaping up really well. DSG, on the other hand, are struggling for rhythm. They have only managed to win just one out of their six games. Two rained-out contests haven’t helped their cause either. Their bowlers have leaked a lot of runs and that has taken a toll on them. In their last game against Pretoria, Buttler returned to his scintillating best with an unbeaten 97 and almost pulled off a sensational victory for his side. Chase bowled brilliantly in the final over to restrict a rampaging Buttler. The other batters need to rise to the occasion for DSG otherwise it will be too late for them. As far as the head-to-head battle between these two sides is concerned, SEC dominate with a 6-1 win margin. There’s some rain forecasted through the course of the game but let’s hope it stays away. Toss and team lineups will be announced shortly...

Sunrisers Eastern Cape Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock(w), Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Tristan Stubbs(c), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Lewis Gregory, Anrich Nortje, Adam Milne, Lutho Sipamla, Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, James Coles, Mitchell Van Buuren, Allah Ghazanfar, JP King, Christopher King

Durbans Super Giants Squad: Kane Williamson, Marques Ackerman, Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), Evan Jones, David Wiese, Sunil Narine, Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka, Noor Ahmad, Simon Harmer, Dayyaan Galiem, Liam Livingstone, Daryn Dupavillon, Eathan Bosch, David Bedingham, Andile Simelane, Gysbert Wege