![Paarl Royals chased 187 vs DSG [Source: PaarlRoyals, HustlerCSK/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768375317251_JoeRootFafduPlessisRubinHermannDanLawrenceSA20(1).jpg?type=hq)
Paarl Royals chased 187 vs DSG [Source: PaarlRoyals, HustlerCSK/X.com]
The SA20 2025/26 season is approaching its fag-end as teams are gearing up to finish in the playoff spots and finish the league phase on a strong note. Having seen a few thrillers already since the turn of the year, January 13, once again produced a final ball thriller in Paarl as the Paarl Royals took on the Durban Super Giants in match 23.
With incredible firepower on display, the likes of Rubin Hermann, Dan Lawrence and Sikandar Raza guided their team to the biggest run-chase at home and entered the record books for the highest SA20 chases. Below are the top five listed.
Highest successful chases in SA20 till Jan 14, 2026
5. SEC vs PC at Centurion, 2025/26 - 177
During match 14 of the SA20 season 2025/26, the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape faced Pretoria Capitals in Centurion on January 5 and were asked to bowl first. Thanks to a team effort with the ball, the hosts were restricted to 176, despite 52(33) for Connor Esterhuizen and a late flurry of 47*(22) for Sherfane Rutherford.
The experienced campaigners Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow went all guns blazing in the chase and chased down the target without loss with a mammoth stand. The in-form de Kock scored 79*(41) with five fours and six sixes, while Bairstow got 85*(45) with 8 fours and six towering sixes. Captain Keshav Maharaj was taken to cleaners, as he conceded 50 from his 3 overs.
4. JSK vs DSG at Johannesburg, 2023 - 182
As the teams were fighting for a playoff finish in match 22 of the SA20 2023, Joburg Super Kings hosted Durban Super Giants, who put the visitors to bat first, and Heinrich Klaasen led DSG to a formidable total of 178, with a 65(48), alongside cameos from Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder.
In response, captain Faf du Plessis took the game by the scruff of its neck and scored a brilliant unbeaten 113 off 58 with 8 fours and 8 sixes. Reeza Hendricks played the second fiddle in the opening partnership of 157 runs, managing only 45(46). They won the match by 8 wickets and 5 balls left.
3. PR vs DSG at Paarl, 2025/26 - 187
In an epic face-off in Paarl, as the Royals hosted DSG in SA20 2025/26, the visitors scored 186/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of Aiden Markram's 66(46) and cameos from others, including Liam Livingstone's 32*(10). This was the target that had never chased in Paarl, as the David Miller-led side faced a steep task.
Chasing the target, PR got off to a shaky start, losing both their openers, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Asa Tribe, cheaply, but Englishman Dan Lawrence and Rubin Hermann got a fantastic 106(61) partnership, before Lawrence was dismissed for 63(41) with two fours and four sixes. Captain Miller soon walked back for 2(3), and the match went to the final ball.
The seasoned T20 star Sikandar Raza's blistering 27*(13), including a final ball six, made sure Rubin Hermann's 65*(45) with three sixes and three fours didn't go in vain, and they chased the highest total at the venue with 6 wickets in hand.
2. JSK vs DSG at Johannesburg, 2024 - 204
Featuring for the second time in the list, JSK and DSG locked horns in another thrilling match at Joburg, where the visitors batted first and scored 203/6, with fifties for JJ Smuts and Wiaan Mulder and 40 off 16 for Klaasen despite early wickets and being reduced to 32/3 in 4.2 overs.
However, Faf and Leus du Plooy stitched a century stand for the first wicket, with the captain taking it upon himself to score 57(29) with 7 fours and three sixes. du Plooy and Wayne Madsen then got into another partnership before the former got out for 57(47) with five fours and two sixes. Madesn (44* off 29), alongside Moeen Ali's 26 (12) and Donovan Ferreira's 14*(3), helped the Men in Yellow win by 7 wickets in 19.5 overs.
1. PR vs PC at Centurion, 2025 - 213
When Paarl Royals visited Centurion in 2025 for match 12 of the season, they were asked to bowl first and chase the record total of 213 runs after Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 42(29), Will Smeed's 54(34) with five fours and three sixes, and Kyle Verreynne's 45(23) with two fours and four sixes set the hosts up for a big total and James Neesham's 28*(13) added the finishing touches.
What looked like a tough run-chase was anchored by Joe Root, who stuck to an end after his opening partner Lhuan-dre Pretorius was dismissed for a golden duck. He got a 125-run stand with Rubin Hermann, who took the aggressive route to score 56 off 33 with five fours and three sixes. Finally, captain David Miller joined the party and got 48* at a strike rate of 200 with four fours and two sixes.
Miller and Root combined for a 88 run partnership in just 8.2 overs as they won the game by 8 wickets, and an unlikely hero in the format, Root finished with 92*(60) with 11 fours and two sixes to help his team chase the record second innings score.
