In a nail-biting tussle in the SA20, Joburg Super Kings defeated Durban's Super Giants by 16 runs after wicketkeeper-batter Donovan Ferreira unleashed a stunning show of strokeplay.
Ferreira, who was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals for INR 50 lakh in IPL 2023 Mini Player Auction in December 2022, made a 40-ball 82, hitting five sixes and eight fours after Joburg Super Kings were reduced to 27/4. His blistering knock took Super Kings to a competitive 190/6.
Ferreira has played 27 T20 matches in his career so far and has compiled 621 runs with an impressive strike rate of over 158. Former India left-arm pacer R.P. Singh mentioned how important a buy Ferreira might turn out to be for Rajasthan Royals when IPL 2023 happens.
"Royals fans will be happy with Ferreira. He brings a lot of variety to the team, and fields well, though he dropped a catch. He is a keeper and bowls as well. Loved his intent, plays aggressively, and looks to play straight and plays spinners well as well.
He played big shots and absorbed the pressure well. The partnership with (Romario) Shephard was the turning point of the match," he was quoted as saying by Sports18 after the match ended.
Ex-India left-arm pace spearhead Zaheer Khan was also in praise of the counterattack led by Ferreira for the Super Kings. "It wasn't easy for anyone to just come in out there and do what he did.
He really took the game to the opposition and showed that intent. A counter-attack was needed at that stage. But he had a terrific day out there not only with the bat but with the ball in hand as well."
"He chipped in with that one wicket except for that dropped catch maybe if you have to be like really critical. But it looks like he could do nothing wrong and some of the shots which he played were superb it was power, it was timing, and it was an innovation as well."