"All he needed was that yellow jersey" - Fans react as Faf du Plessis' stunning century powers Joburg Super Kings to victory in the SA20

Joburg Super Kings (JSK) captain Faf du Plessis unleashed an innings for the ages and became the first centurion of SA20 as he powered his side to a win over Durban's Super Giants.

Chasing a challenging total of 179, it was a one-man show that catapulted the Super Kings to their second home win at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. With opening partner Reeza Hendricks going at a strike rate of 97.8 at the other end, the skipper had to take the risk of upping the scoring rate all by himself.

On a double-paced surface that showed awkward bounce, the veteran held his nerve to guide the Super Kings home. They won the match by 8 wickets with five deliveries to spare.

Fans were left in awe of his masterclass and expressed their amazement on Twitter. While most reactions were from fans of JSK and their sister franchise from Chennai, fans of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), whom Du Plessis captains in the IPL, were also filled with hope.

Faf du Plessis becomes the first centurion of SA20

With his unbeaten 113 off 58 deliveries, Faf du Plessis became the first batter to register a hundred in the SA20. Chasing 179 for their fourth win of the tournament, JSK didn't get off the blocks well and were cautious in the beginning.

Since Hendricks couldn't gather any momentum in his innings, it was the skipper who had to take his chances. Despite a couple of mistimed shots, Du Plessis ensured that the chase remained on track as the duo notched up a stand of 157 for the opening wicket.

Faf du Plessis flicked a switch and tore into Jason Holder in the 12th over of the innings. There was no looking back for him thereafter as the hosts pocketed four crucial points in the last game of the first leg of the SA20. Unsurprisingly, he also walked away with the Player of the Match award.

The Super Kings have moved into the top four with 16 points from four games. Durban's Super Giants, on the other hand, continue to languish at the bottom of the table with just 8 points and their qualification hopes hanging by the proverbial thread.

The SA20 will now break for a period of eight days as members of the South African ODI setup reconvene to host England for a 3-match series starting Friday, January 27.

About the author

Sooryanarayanan started off as a non-contracted text commentator at Sportskeeda 3 years ago and is today, the Cricket Commentary Manager. An MBA degree holder, a burning passion for the sport eventually led him to take it up professionally. He also writes insightful Feature pieces from time to time.

Sooryanarayanan sees cricket as a reflection of life’s ebbs and flows, and believes that the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy perfectly showcased it via the determination, courage and the never-give-up attitude displayed on field. He is a staunch Team India supporter and believes that the team has a very bright future. He admires MS Dhoni for how he approaches the sport and life as they come, being unfazed by both victory and defeat.

Sooryanarayanan tries to stick to facts and relies heavily on numerical data to present them. Keeping an objective and neutral view is one of his biggest reporting strengths, along with conducting thorough research and verifying all facts. His exploits in his field have led him to interview some star cricketers like Rovman Powell, Chamari Athapaththu, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Peter Hatzoglou, and more.

When not immersed in Cricket, Sooryanarayanan loves to watch movies and web series, which helps him to focus better when he’s back to work.

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