‘Donovan ‘The Don’ Ferreira’ – Twitter ecstatic as rising star’s incredible knock guides Joburg Super Kings to their first win in SA20

Joburg Super Kings defeated Durban Super Giants by 16 runs in the second match of the SA20 2023 T20 League on Wednesday at Kingsmead in Durban (January 11). Donovan Ferreira, a 24-year-old all-rounder, provided the fireworks, smashing an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls with five sixes and eight fours to power the Super Kings to 190 for 6 after batting first.

Quinton de Kock’s 52-ball 78 was in vain as the Super Giants were held to 174 for 5. Alzarri Joseph was the Super Kings’ pick of the bowlers, taking 2/30, while Ferreira also took 1/28 in 4 overs. Earlier, the Super Kings were struggling at 27 for 4 before Ferreira and skipper Faf du Plessis, who scored 39 off 33 balls with three fours, put on 72 runs for the fifth wicket.

Then Ferreira and all-rounder Romario Shepherd put on a match-winning 87-run stand, with Shepherd smashing 40 off 19 balls with four sixes and two fours. It was Ferreira’s third T20 fifty and his highest T20 score. The fireworks added to the spectacle produced out in the middle of Kingsmead, which had not been seen in many years.

The home team reduced the Joburg Super Kings to 27/4 early on, with local hero Keshav Maharaj initiating the first breakthrough. Soon after, fellow homegrown talent Prenelan Subrayen (2/26) and Sri Lankan spin maestro Akila Dananjaya (1/39) arrived at the party.

The Kingsmead crowd, on the other hand, never stopped cheering for their team when Quinton de Kock and West Indian Kyle Mayers raced out of the blocks. The Super Giants’ opening pair dominated the Powerplay, taking it all the way to the 11th over before Mayers was caught for 39, leaving the home team on 98/1.

De Kock was instrumental in the Super Giants’ comeback, but he was not adequately supported by Heinrich Klaasen (20), Wiaan Mulder (10), Dwaine Pretorius (14) and Jason Holder (2 not out). The captain eventually fell for 78 and walked back to the dressing room, with the Super Giants’ chances ultimately falling agonisingly short.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Donovan Ferreira’s knock