The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So the points table remains as it is and the gulf between the top and the bottom widens! Royals register another W and the JSK register another L. One team wants to ride the momentum and the other would be just desperate to switch things up a bit. I (Rudransh) and Rajarshi, meanwhile, only want to sleep. And so should you (if it's not your bed time, take a nap)! It's been a heck of a day of cricket. See ya!
Jos Buttler, who else?, is the Player of the Match: Nice to get another win. We have started the competition really well. We have been really looked after, I just wanted to get out a bit. Some golf, some tennis. The last few months have been really challenging. Captaincy is a great honor, a challenge. You ride the emotions of wins and losses. It's been tough so happy to play under Miller and Shane Bond's ring. The bowlers have executed their plans at our home really well.
David Miller, Paarl Royals captain: It was a great result. Really happy with the performance. Bowlers bowled exceptionally well. Did what they needed to do and then Jos and Lubbe batted really well. We have a lot of good international bowlers but Ngidi has really taken up the leadership role. It's a big boundary here, with a lot of variable bounce and it turns a bit. Happy to play here again. That performance from Jos was very special.
Faf du Plessis, Joburg Super Kings captain: Disappointing. You try really hard, but there are some similar patterns, which is not nice to see. It's important to understand that cricket's a game of momentum, and momentum is going against us. You need a couple of big players to ensure they pull you away, into a correct direction. We had a similar situation last year, didn't bat well, and then some key guys got good form. I feel like our bowlers need something to bowl to. I need to make sure of that first thing, and we need a couple of guys to put their hands up and get that 60s and 70s. 20s are never a match-winning score in any format. They've got a few guys in form, that's the flip side of it. You start the tournament with a couple of guys in form, ensures a purple patch. We're on the opposite side of it - 5 out of 6 batters are fighting for some good form. That's the unfortunate part. Wanderers is where we turned it around the last year, we won 5 at home, turned it around and brought it back.
Paarl Royals take a clinical seven-wicket win! JSK's campaign remains winless!
Jos Buttler 70 (37) | Lungi Ngidi (3/17) Leus du Plooy 71 (43) | Imran Tahir (1/12)
JOS BUTTLER. Those two words are suffice to explain what happened in this match. 134 was never a good enough total, even for a sluggish, variably-bouncing and tacky pitch. And the Royals needed they had to make the powerplay count, like really make it count.
Faf du Plessis, like he has been doing for some time, helped them by not bowling spinners at all in the early overs, despite being troubled by that plan himself. Roy and Buttler got off well but the former was caught in front by Williams to quash the soaring run-rate for a bit.
Buttler, as if angry at seeing his mate walk off, went after another of his mates - Moeen Ali to push impetus into the innings. Wihan Lubbe came out and happily played a second fiddle to him, hitting a 30-ball 39. He got out to Imran Tahir, who was the only guy Buttler respected tonight.
Tahir was stunning too but the initial burst of runs allowed the Royals to go easy against him. Lubbe's wicket was followed soon by Miller's but Buttler attacked a bit more with his ruthlessness and it is always game set and done when he starts to do that.
14.1 Moeen Ali to Mitchell van Buuren, that'll do! On a good length on off, van Buuren shimmies down the wicket, turns this one towards deep square, and the batters jog across for the winning run! Paarl Royals have a third win on home turf - claiming this contest by 7 wickets with a bonus point!
Scores are level! This man doesn't take any time whatsoever. And he doesn't care who the bowler is or what the stage of the innings is. He knows how to play and he just does that!
14
overs
134/3score
0
0
1nb
1
1
1
6
runs
Jos Buttler*
70(37)
Mitchell Van Buuren
7(10)
Romario Shepherd
0/10
13.6 Romario Shepherd to Jos Buttler, SIX! The scores are level with 6 overs to go! Slow, short of a length delivery on off, Buttler, having read the lack of pace and length early, made room for himself, and clobbered the ball down the ground, close to the sightscreen!
13.5 Romario Shepherd to Mitchell van Buuren, on a good length around off, jabbed towards deep mid wicket for a run