SA20 2025-26 Final: Stubbs, Breetzke help Sunrisers clinch third title

Sunrisers Eastern Cape created history with their six-wicket triumph over Pretoria Capitals at Newlands, clinching their third SA20 title in four years.

Inserted to bat, Pretoria Capitals made a poor start as Marco Jansen forced Connor Esterhuizen to edge one in the slip cordon before Lutho Sipamla had Shai Hope caught at cover, reducing the Capitals to an ominous 1 for 2. However, the Capitals found their talisman in Dewald Brevis, who produced a breathtaking century and almost single-handedly fought to keep his team afloat.

Brevis displayed his mood early, hitting three boundaries off Sipamla's second over before picking 20 runs off left-arm spinner Coles as Capitals finished the powerplay on 49 for 2. Brevis found an able ally in Bryce Parsons, as the duo injected life into the innings before the former brought up his half-century off just 26 balls.

Brevis dominated the 96-run stand for the third wicket, eventually notching up a century off 56 balls, embellished with eight boundaries and seven sixes. The next highest score in the Capitals line-up was Parsons’ run-ball 30. The partnership was finally broken when Parsons was run out courtesy of Breetzke’s sensational throw from the deep. Jordan Cox followed suit with another run-out in the next over, but Brevis carried on his onslaught even as wickets fell at the other end. Sherfane Rutherford showed a brief spark of brilliance, depositing Chris Green for two sixes, but he fell to Anrich Nortje after an 11-ball 17.

Brevis’ effort made the 1 for 2 a thing of the past, with Capitals looking set to push towards 175. However, Jansen, who had conceded just five runs in his initial two-over burst, had other plans. He gave only five runs in the 16th and then deflated the opponents with a double-wicket maiden in the penultimate over to return with a staggering 3 for 10, including a whopping 15 dots. Brevis, who scored nearly 64% of the team’s total, was dismissed in the 19th over, with Capitals finishing 158/7 despite the recovery.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape had an underwhelming beginning to their chase as Lungi Ngidi sent back Jonny Bairstow on the first ball, while Quinton de Kock and Jordan Hermann also perished soon after as Keshav Maharaj and Roston Chase picked wickets in tandem, reducing Sunrisers to a dismal 48 for 4.

However, Tristan Stubbs and Matthew Breetzke took the game deep, biding their time in the middle even as the required run rate crept into uncomfortable territory. They reaped the reward after getting their eye in as their record fifth-wicket stand of 114 runs changed the course of the game.

Breetzke‘s measured hitting took him to his half-century off 44 balls before he launched an assault against Lizaad Williams, while Stubbs extended notable support in the match-changing alliance, eventually reducing the equation to 42 needed from the last three overs after they required a cumbersome 87 off 48 at one stage.

Breetzke and Stubbs found three boundaries in the 17th over from Williams, while the 18th, bowled by Gideon Peters, had plenty of action, with boundaries as well as a no-ball and a free hit that went for six. The 21-run over left them with 21 needed off the last two. Lungi Ngidi then kept things relatively tight, conceded only 12 to leave nine to defend in the final over.

Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj turned to Parsons but the well-set Stubbs clubbed back-to-back sixes to lift Sunrisers to a third title. Stubbs finished unbeaten on 63 off 41 balls, while Breetzke stood unbeaten on 68 off 49.