SA20 2023: Faf du Plessis creates history, smashes first hundred of CSA's premier T20 League

Faf du Plessis becomes first player to score hundred in SA20

Johannesburg, January 25: Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis on Tuesday (January 25) night created history when he became the first player to score a hundred in SA20, Cricket South Africa's (CSA) premier T20 League.

Du Plessis, who has never scored a century in the Indian Premier League, achieved the feat in 54 balls as he powered Joburg Super Kings to 8-wicket win over Durban's Super Giants in match 22 of SA20 2023 at the Wanderers.

It was a scintillating innings that lasted only 58 balls, but yielded 113 electrifying runs. It included eight boundaries and eight sixes. Du Plessis was the star of the Bullring as he tore into Durban's Super Kings bowling attack.

While the former South Africa captain has never scored a hundred in IPL so far, he has scored 5 hundreds in the shortest format - 1 for South Africa, 1 in SA20, 1 in Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), 2 in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Du Plessis had Reeza Hendricks as company for the majority of the innings with the opening pair putting on 157 for the first wicket. Hendricks was very much a supporting act though with the Proteas opener compiling 45 off 46 balls.

The partnership was the perfect platform for the Super Kings to chase down the Super Giants' 178/6 with Du Plessis striking the winning runs with five balls remaining.

The eight-wicket victory reignited the Super Kings Betway SA20 campaign as they leapfrogged MI Cape Town into fourth place. Unfortunately for the Super Giants their chances of qualifying for the playoffs are now slim as they remain at the foot of the table.

Quinton de Kock's team had given themselves hope through Heinrich Klaasen's 65 off 48 balls and a pair of 28's from West Indian duo Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder at the top and bottom end of the innings.

Maheesh Theekshana (3/30) and Gerald Coetzee (3/21) ensured the Super Giants did not run away entirely. However, the thousands that streamed into the Wanderers once again would remember the outing as the night Du Plessis struck the first century of the SA20.