SA20 2026: Sunrisers Eastern Cape Win Record Third Title in Cape Town Final

Sunrisers Eastern Cape won their third SA20 title on 25 January 2026, beating Pretoria Capitals by 6 wickets in the final at DHL Newlands in Cape Town. It was the first time Pretoria Capitals had reached the SA20 final — coming in the same season that they had been defeated by MI Cape Town in the Season 3 (2025) semi-finals. An exceptional fifth-wicket partnership denied Pretoria their debut title. Matthew Breetzke (68*) and Tristan Stubbs (63*) shared an unbroken 114-run stand that turned a difficult chase into a comfortable win, with Quinton de Kock named Player of the Series for his 390 tournament runs.

The Final: Breetzke and Stubbs' Unbeaten 114

Pretoria Capitals posted 158/7 from their 20 overs — a competitive but not dominant total at Newlands, where the surface tends to favour pace bowling. Sunrisers' chase wobbled until Breetzke and Stubbs came together at the crease, at which point all pressure evaporated. Their unbroken 114-run partnership was the decisive passage of the match: Breetzke anchored with a 68* that mixed boundaries with smart running, while Stubbs' 63* accelerated perfectly through the final overs. Marco Jansen's 3/28 with the ball earlier in the innings had given Sunrisers' bowling attack the control needed to restrict Pretoria to 158.

Quinton de Kock: Player of the Series

Quinton de Kock was named SA20 Season 4 Player of the Series with 390 runs across the tournament — the second highest tournament aggregate in SA20 history to that point. De Kock's opening batting throughout the league stage provided Sunrisers with consistent platforms, and his ability to attack from the first ball against South Africa's quality seam-bowling attacks made him nearly impossible to contain. He has been central to each of the Sunrisers' three SA20 titles.

SA20 Format and Significance

The SA20 (now officially Betway SA20) is South Africa's T20 franchise competition, launched in January 2023. Six teams compete: Sunrisers Eastern Cape, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Durban's Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals, and Joburg Super Kings. Each franchise is owned by an IPL franchise — creating direct connections to the biggest names in global cricket: MI Cape Town is owned by Mumbai Indians, Joburg Super Kings by CSK, and so on. The league runs every January-February and has attracted significant international playing talent while also providing a competitive platform for emerging South African players. Ottniel Baartman (Paarl Royals) led the 2026 wicket-takers with 20 scalps despite his team not reaching the final.