SA20 2025: Paarl Royals become first T20 team to finish 20 overs with spinners

The SA20 league stage is in its last phase and the team that has been dominating the tournament right now is the Paarl Royals who are currently on top of the table with six wins and only one loss in the seven matches that they have played so far. 

The last game the David Miller-led side played was another great result for the team who beat the Pretoria Capitals by 11 runs and successfully defended a below-par score of 140 winning their fifth consecutive game in a row and continuing their dominance. The player of the match was English batter Joe Root who was unbeaten on 78 in the first innings and also took a couple of wickets with the ball in the second innings. 

Also Read: SA20 2025, Match 20 Review: Joe Root steers Paarl Royals into Playoffs

However, this was not the only incredible feat by the Royals as they have also entered the record books after this game. It was already a surprise that they went into this match with four specialist spinners in Dunith Wellalage, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Nqabayomzi Peter with Dayyaan Galiem being the only recognised pacer. However, Galiem was never used during the match and it was the part-time spin of Root that was preferred instead of him. This was the first T20 game where all 20 overs were bowled by spinners in an innings.  

It was the young Sri Lankan star Dunith Wellalage and Fortuin who shared the new ball and ended with incredible figures. Fortuin finished with 2/20 in his four overs while Wellalage finished with 1/16 in the match. Even Afghanistan mystery spinner Mujeeb was also frugal with his spell of 2/17 in his full quota of four overs. Peter and Root in the end made sure that the Capitals did not get away in the death overs. 

Speaking of the last two seasons for the Royals in this league they had qualified for the playoffs but have not won a single knockout match and looking at their form this season they will want to get closer to winning the title in the third edition of the tournament.