All-round Ferreira stars in Joburg Super Kings' Super Over win

The year 2026 kicked off with Joburg Super Kings and Durban Super Giants playing out the first-ever Super Over of SA20, at the Wanderers, on Thursday. Led by some fine bowling from Richard Gleeson, Super Kings clinched a victory in the Super Over and went to the top of the points table with their third victory of the season.

It was a contest that see-sawed all the way through the 40 overs, with Gleeson pulling back the momentum in the 19th over of the run chase, picking two wickets, and conceding only four runs. Needing one run to win off the final ball, Donovan Ferreira ran out Eathan Bosch with a direct hit while the batter attempted a quick single to a delivery that was played and missed by Simon Harmer.

Ferreira made a mark in every department: firstly, by crunching a blazing 10-ball 33*, and then bowling a tight four-over spell where he conceded only 24 runs for one wicket, while also keeping wickets.

Put in to bat, Super Kings had piled on 205 for 4 courtesy a collective batting effort. Matthew de Villiers and Faf du Plessis had led the way with an 89-run stand off only 52 balls. Noor Ahmad struck thrice through the middle overs, and was joined by Simon Harmer, the spin duo proving hard to put away.

Wiaan Mulder and Shubham Ranjane attempted to revive the innings but it didn't come at a pace Super Kings would've liked. When Mulder departed in the 18th over, the hosts were still restricted to 156 for 4. However, Ferreira's late assault, which included four sixes and a boundary, powered them past the 200-run mark.

The target seemed enough, especially when Super Giants struggled to find the early acceleration. Devon Conway and Kane Williamson were slow to get going, while Jos Buttler's enterprising knock was brought to an end in six balls by Richard Gleeson, reducing the visitors to 61 for 3 by the eighth over.

Even as Aiden Markram was struggling to get the big hits, Heinrich Klaasen and Evan Jones cut loose through the middle overs. In a space of five overs, the trio combined to smash 86 runs, and brought down the requirements to 40 runs off the last four overs.

Gleeson used his slower balls to good effect while Wiaan Mulder opted to use wide yorkers, both proving reasonably effective as Super Giants searched for the big hits. The penultimate over, in which Gleeson conceded only four runs, proved to be the gamechanger.

Bosch smashed the second ball off the last over, and with five needed off two deliveries, Harmer lofted Mulder for a four. Once the match went to the Super Over, the see-saw ended. Gleeson's variations proved too difficult for Buttler and Jones to put away and they returned with only six runs.

In response, Rilee Rossouw got an inside edge for a boundary - off Noor -to begin the chase. Two deliveries later, he helped the side over the line by crunching another boundary through extra cover.

Brief Scores: Joburg Super Kings 205/4 in 20 overs (Shubham Ranjane 50*, Faf du Plessis 47; Noor Ahmad 3-12, Simon Harmer 1-22) tied with Durban Super Giants 205/6 in 20 overs (Evan Jones 43, Aiden Markram 37; Richard Gleeson 3-41, Akeal Hosein 2-31) Joburg Super Kings won the Super Over