Tristan Stubbs-Matthew Breetzke spoil Dewald Brevis' party as Sunrisers Eastern Cape lift 3rd SA20

Tristan Stubbs and Matthew Breetzke [Source: X]

It was a scintillating SA20 final at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on January 25, where Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals locked horns.

The match was packed with high-intensity drama, as Dewald Brevis lit up the contest with a blazing century, while the Sunrisers Eastern Cape duo of Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs displayed complete dominance with the bat to steer their franchise to a historic third SA20 title.

With an electric atmosphere surrounding the clash, here is a closer look at how the SA20 2026 final unfolded between the two teams.

Dewald Brevis ton saved Pretoria Capitals’ day

Pretoria Capitals built their innings around Dewald Brevis’ mammoth century, as his commanding 101 off 56 deliveries formed the backbone of the total. Bryce Parsons also chipped in with a 30-ball 30. However, much to the heartbreak of Pretoria Capitals fans, the rest of the batting line-up disappointed.

Opener Connor Esterhuizen was dismissed for a duck, while skipper Keshav Maharaj also departed without scoring. Bryce Parsons and Connor Esterhuizen proved to be a letdown for Pretoria Capitals, and Shai Hope, who walked in at number three, also faltered, managing just one run.

Brevis was the lone fighter, first stitching together a 97-run partnership with Parsons and later adding 37 runs with Sherfane Rutherford.

Rutherford scored 17 runs off 11 deliveries, while Roston Chase remained unbeaten on 4, as Pretoria Capitals just managed to crawl past the 150-run mark and post 158 in the SA20 final.

Marco Jansen led the SEC’s bowling campaign

On the bowling front, Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, claiming three wickets in his four overs while conceding only 10 runs.

Lutho Sipamla and Anrich Nortje also picked up one wicket each and kept things tight. Chris Green was the most expensive, giving away 28 runs from his two overs.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape get early scare with quick wickets

It was a dramatic second innings at Newlands, Cape Town, where Sunrisers Eastern Cape almost reversed their fate from definite loss to a palpitating chase. Sunrisers Eastern Cape lost their openers Quinton de Kock and Johnny Bairstow early, both departing inside the powerplay.

Jordan Hermann was dismissed in the eighth over, followed soon after by James Coles, leaving Eastern Cape struggling at 48/4 in 8.4 overs. However, Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs then turned the game on its head for the two-time SA20 champions.

Tristan Stubbs and Matthew Breetzke revive chase for SEC to lift third SA20 title

What followed was a stunning display of powerful yet composed batting from the duo, as both showed remarkable calm to revive a chase that had been slipping away from Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

Matthew Breetzke, who came in at number three, and Tristan Stubbs, who arrived when the team was in deep trouble, combined to add a crucial 114-run partnership off 65 balls.

Their stand was built on monstrous sixes, timely boundaries, and a bit of luck with dropped catches. Breetzke scored 68 runs off 49 deliveries, while Stubbs struck 63 off 41 balls.

SEC hold nerve in the final overs

The decisive moment came in the 18th over, when Gideon Peters was taken apart for 21 runs. That over swung the momentum firmly in Eastern Cape’s favour, leaving them needing 21 runs from the final 12 deliveries.

Lungi Ngidi then conceded 12 runs in the following over, and Bryce Parsons was hit for two back-to-back sixes in the final over as captain Tristan Stubbs sealed the chase. In a match filled with drama, tension, and nerves, Stubbs led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to their historic third SA20 title with a six-wicket win.