Eastern Cape Iinyathi vs Limpopo Impalas, csa-knockout-2024, Today Match Prediction 24 September 2024

ECI vs LPI Match Prediction & Analysis

South Africa's latest domestic T20 competition, the CSA T20 Knockout Competition, started with a nail-biting finish with Eastern Storm defeating Northern Cape by a run. The fourth competition game will be between Eastern Cape and Limpopo at Buffalo Park, East London on 24th September from 4:30 pm onwards. This will be the first game for Eastern Cape while Limpopo has already lost their first game of the season.

CSA Provincial T20 Cup’s semi-finalist Eastern Cape will start the season with Jason Niemand taking charge. They are considered potential finalists after finishing the first class and List A on a high note. Jade de Klerk, who finished the FC season as the leading wicket-taker and List A tournament as the leading run scorer and leading wicket-taker will be the player to watch out for.

Limpopo started the season on a losing note against Tuskers. Batting first, the Tuskers set a target of 163 runs after Limpopo’s Morne Venter, Atwell Mokgoloboto, and Don Radebe managed to take a wicket each. During the chase, the Limpopo team crumbled to the Tuskers’ bowling unit. The Provincial T20 2024 winners managed to score 89 runs and hence lost the game by 73 runs. Daniel van der Merwe scored 34 off 29 balls.

Both teams faced each other in the semi-final of Provincial T20 2024 earlier this year. Batting first Limpopo scored 159 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Ruan Haasbroek scored a half-century while Jade de Klerk took three wickets for 19. Eastern Cape started the chase on a high note, but a fallout of middle-order cost them the game by 17 runs. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Eastern Cape Iinyathi Preview

Eastern Cape will play their first game of the newly started tournament under the captaincy of Jason Niemand. He will open the innings with Jerome Bossr or Nathan Roux. Niemand scored 211 runs in the Provincial T20 2024 at a strike rate of 133.54. Bossr has an experience of just 5 games in which he has scored 49 runs. 

All eyes will be on Marco Marais in the middle who had finished the Provincial T20 with 241 runs at an average of 48.20 with a strike rate of 151.57 - the highest among the Eastern Cape players. He will be the batter to watch out for. He was also the leading run-scorer of the First-class tournament this year with a record-breaking fastest triple ton.

Jade de Klerk will lead the bowling unit with Sinovuyo Ntuntwana and Nico van Zyl. De Klerk finished the Provincial T20 2024 as the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets at an average of 16.33 and with an economy of 7.53. He will be the bowler to watch out for. He was the leading run-scorer and the leading wicket-taker in the List A tournament for Eastern Cape. Nico Van Zyl took 5 wickets in 7 games of the Provincial T20 earlier this year including two for 23 against Limpopo in the group stage.

Key Players: Jade de Klerk, Jason Niemand, Marco Marais.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi Predicted Playing XI:

Jason Niemand, Jerome Bossr, Marco Marais, Mncedisi Malika, Thabile Hlatuka , Jade de Klerk, Sinovuyo Ntuntwana, Nico van Zyl, Aphiwe Mnyanda, Mathew Fourie, Christopher Gleaves (Wk).

Limpopo Impalas Preview

The Provincial T20 champions started the series on a losing note. Skipper Liam Peters will be looking forward to getting his team back on the winning note. Sizwe Masondo will open the inning with Morne Venter. Masondo scored 186 runs in 8 games of the Provincial T20 with a strike rate below 100. He was one of the only two batters from Limpopo to score half-centuries in the season. Lauren Steenkamp will come at number three after scoring 160 runs in six games.

Daniel van der Merwe will lead the middle order with Heinrich Pieterse and Dilivio Ridgaard. Van der Merwe finished the T20 season with 108 runs in 5 innings at a strike rate of 154.28 - the highest among the Limpopo batters.  He was also the leading run-scorer in the first game of the season (34 runs). He will be the batter to watch out for. Peters will come at number seven. 

Don Radebe will lead the bowling unit with Atwell Mokgoloboto, Eldred Hawken, and Kgaudisa Molefe. The quartet took three wickets in the first game. Radebe was the leading wicket-taker of the Provincial T20 with 20 wickets at an average of 9 and with an economy of 6.54 - the lowest among the bowlers. He will be the bowler to watch out for. Daniel van der Merwe who took 13 wickets in the T20 season earlier will play as the fifth bowler.

Key Players: Sizwe Masondo, Daniel van der Merwe, Don Radebe.

Limpopo Impalas Predicted Playing XI:

Sizwe Masondo, Morne Venter, Louren Steenkamp, Heinrich Pieterse, Daniel van der Merwe, Dilivio Ridgaard (wk), Liam Peters (c), Don Radebe, Atwell Mokgoloboto, Eldred Hawken, Kgaudisa Molefe.

Weather Conditions

The weather will be cloudy and humid with no chance of rain. The temperatures will be between 16°C and 22°C.

The Headingley, Leeds is renowned for having a batting-friendly surface that is beneficial to batters. Its neutral playing surface, strong pace, and bounce make it an excellent place for early wickets. 

ECI vs LPI Pitch Report

The game will be played at Buffalo Park, East London on 24th September from 4:30 pm onwards. It is the homeground for Eastern Cape. The venue has hosted 1 Test,  3 T20Is, and 23 ODIs.

Toss: To Bat

In 3 T20Is, the team has successfully defended the target on 2 occasions. The average first innings score here is 170. The team winning the toss should bat first here.