SA20 2025: Paarl Royals batter Joe Root triggers push-up challenge in dressing room post win over Durban’s Super Giants

In the ongoing SA20 2025 season, England batter Joe Root took on a fun push-up challenge in the Paarl Royals’ dressing room following their five-wicket win over Durban’s Super Giants on Thursday. The fun activity gave a glimpse of the camaraderie within the Royals’ camp, as they held on to their top spot in the points table.

During the post-match celebrations, Root initiated a push-up challenge, joined by teammates Tabraiz Shamsi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, with the Afghan spinner coming out victorious, completing over 20 push-ups. Veteran Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik, also part of the Royals squad, praised Root for encouraging a positive atmosphere in the dressing room.

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Joe Root fails to impress against Durban, suffers a first-ball duck

Despite falling for his first golden duck in SA20 history during the clash against the Super Giants, the 34-year-old has been a consistent performer this season. Root has scored 201 runs in six matches, averaging 50.25, with a strike rate of 141.54. His contributions include two half-centuries and a 92* in earlier games, placing him third in the tally of most runs.

While his bat was silent during Thursday’s match, Root's off-spin came in handy as he dismissed the dangerous Kane Williamson. The Royals’ bowling unit, led by Mujeeb, restricted the Super Giants to 142/7. Mujeeb’s 2/23 included key wickets of Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen, ensuring the Royals had a defendable target.

Young talents like Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Rubin Hermann have stepped up in crunch moments, with Hermann playing a knock of 44 off 22 balls against the Super Giants. Mitchell van Buuren anchored the chase with a 41, sealing the Royals’ fifth win in six matches.

The Paarl Royals now have 20 points and are on the verge of becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Their next game is against the Pretoria Capitals at Boland Park, on January 25. Meanwhile, the Durban Super Giants are languishing at the bottom of the table, with one win out of their seven games.