Last Updated on 4 months ago by Charbel Coorey

Paarl Royals (PR) will challenge the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) in the 3rd match of SA20 2025/26. The match will be played at Boland Park, Paarl, at 9:30 PM IST.

Paarl Royals did well in the last edition of the tournament, winning seven of their 10 league stage games, but they failed to make it to the final. Their main strength is their spin attack on the low and slow track at their home venue, and they’ll look to exploit that in this match too. 

They have a very strong spin attack, but their batting depth might be an issue. The likes of David Miller, Sikandar Raza, Dan Lawrence, and Delano Potgieter have a task on their hands in the middle and lower order for the Royals. Lhuan-Dre Pretorius and Rubin Hermann are two young explosive openers they will banking on for fast starts. 

Sunrisers Eastern Cape, on the other hand, is the most successful side of the tournament. They have won the title twice in three editions. But a lot has changed for them in this season, as their skipper Aiden Markram has moved to the Durban Super Giants.

Tristan Stubbs will lead the side now, and they’ve got many new signings in Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock, Adam Milne, Anrich Nortje, James Coles, and Allah Ghazanfar. Their squad looks pretty good with most bases covered. 

SA20 2025/26 3rd Match: PR vs SEC Possible Playing XIs

Paarl Royals: 1. Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, 2. Rubin Hermann (wk), 3. Dan Lawrence, 4. David Miller (c), 5. Sikandar Raza, 6. Delano Potgieter, 7. Hardus Viljoen, 8. Gudakesh Motie, 9. Mujeeb ur Rahman, 10. Ottniel Baartman, 11. Nqaba Peter

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Matthew Breetzke, 3. James Coles/Jordan Hermann, 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Tristan Stubbs (wk), 6. Marco Jansen, 7. Lewis Gregory, 8. Senuran Muhthusamy, 9. Lutho Sipamla, 10. Adam Milne, 11. Anrich Nortje

Boland Park Paarl Pitch Report and Weather

A low and slow pitch is expected for this game considering the home team’s spin attack. The wicket generally got better for batting as the game progressed in the last season during day/night matches. Teams should prefer chasing here. Spinners will thrive, and top-order batters from the chasing side are expected to do well.

A clear day is expected for this match with no chance of rain. 

Fantasy Cricket Tips for PR vs SEC 2025/26: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:  

• Lhuan-Dre Pretorius likes to attack from the first ball and can take the game away from the opposition in just a few overs. He will be a must in your fantasy teams.
• Pretorius was the highest run-scorer of the last edition with 397 runs in 12 innings at an average of 33.08, striking at 166.80 with three fifties. 
• Quinton de Kock made just 159 runs in 10 games last year. But he was in great touch in the recent series against India and will be a must in your fantasy teams. 
• Jonny Bairstow is a good player of spin bowling and will be a key batter for the Sunrisers. He scored 232 runs in eight innings last season with one fifty to his name. He averaged 38.66 with a strike rate of 134.10.

Key batter picks: 

• Tristan Stubbs had a forgettable last season with 232 runs in 11 innings at an average of just 29 and strike rate of just 118.97. However, Stubbs is a quality player, and you should back him in your fantasy teams.
• David Miller averaged 58.50 in the last edition at a strike rate of 136.84 for his 234 runs in 9 innings. He will be a key player for his side and will be a top fantasy pick.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Marco Jansen was the highest wicket-taker (19 wickets) of the last edition and he scored 204 runs as well. Jansen is a proper all-rounder and can win games with both bat and ball. He will be the best C/VC pick. 
• Sikandar Raza is another top all-rounder pick for this game. He will bat at number 5-6 and should bowl a minimum of 2-3 overs. Raza is another popular C/VC choice. 
• James Coles is expected to bat at 3 and bowl a few overs. He was impressive in the Hundred this year.
• Bjorn Fortuin picked up 11 wickets in 11 games in the last season. He will bowl two overs in the powerplay and then in the middle overs. Considering the conditions and Sunrisers’ right-hand-heavy middle order, he will be a good pick. 
• Hardus Viljoen picked up 14 wickets in just eight games last year for JSK. The Royals will expect something similar from him this year. He will be a good pick, especially while bowling first.

Key bowler picks: 

• Mujeeb ur Rahman bowled a lot in the death overs for Paarl, and he can swing his bat. He can bowl in any phase of the innings, and with the conditions aiding the spinners, you can try him as C/VC in one or two teams.  
• Gudakesh Motie will be a key spinner for Paarl. He is a genuine wicket-taker and is handy with the bat as well. Motie can wreak havoc on his day, especially at Boland Park. Try him as C/VC in one or two teams.

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Team 

• Rubin Hermann while chasing will be a good option. He scored 333 runs in nine innings at an average of 41.62 with three fifties last year.  
• Delano Potgieter is expected to bowl 1-2 overs, and he can tonk the ball when he gets the chance. A good all-rounder for fantasy cricket. 

Alternative picks you can consider: 

• Dan Lawrence
• Nqaba Peter
• Lutho Sipamla (bowl first)
• Lewis Gregory (if plays)

Other Matchups and Facts 

• Sunrisers Easter Cape has won 5 of the 7 games played between the two teams. 
• David Miller vs Marco Jansen (T20s): 14 balls, 9 runs, and 2 dismissals.

SA 2025/26 3rd Match: PR vs SEC Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

SA20 2025/26 3rd Match: PR vs SEC Match Prediction: Who will win?

Sunrisers Eastern Cape has a strong bowling attack and good batting depth. They also have plenty of options to choose from. While the Paarl Royals will rely heavily on their middle order. They’ll try to choke the Sunrisers batters with their spinners. 

Considering team balance and squad depth, Sunrisers Eastern Cape should win this game.

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All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo and Cricmetric.