News

INCREDIBLE SEASON 4 MOMENTS: NQOBANI MOKOENA’S NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS

18 Jun 20264 mins

The modern T20 player’s barometer is no longer purely the number of runs scored or wickets taken. It is about the impact a player can make on any given match.

This relates to a five-ball cameo, a wicket-maiden over, or simply a spectacular catch that changes the momentum of the match.

Utilising this metric, we’ve looked past the traditional milestones of centuries and five-wicket hauls and selected a list of “Incredible Moments” from Betway SA20 Season 4 in this new series.

SEASON 4 INCREDIBLE MOMENT 3

Nqobani Mokoena: 4/34 off 4 overs (7 dot balls, economy rate 8.55)

Paarl Royals vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape | 31 December 2025 | St George’s Park

New Year’s Eve is associated with fireworks and young Nqobani Mokoena certainly lit up St George’s Park in the first-ever Betway SA20 clash on 31 December.

The 19-year-old prodigy delivered a fiery spell of 4/34 to announce his arrival on the franchise stage. The New Year’s Eve performance was more than just a match-winning contribution - it was a statement of intent from South Africa’s next great fast-bowling hope, who wears the No 25 in honour of his hero Kagiso Rabada.

Watching Mokoena steam in, with the same aggressive intent and rhythmic, explosive action that has defined Rabada’s career, it feels as though the torch is actively being passed.

Mokoena’s ascent was not by accident. Born in KwaMashu, north Durban, his talent was nurtured at Northwood School before earning selection for both the SA U19 and SA Schools sides in 2024.

It all came to the fore on New Year’s Eve as he silenced 'The Orange Army' by picking up the big wickets of Betway SA20 Season 4 MVP Quinton de Kock and Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Tristan Stubbs upfront before returning at the death to dismiss Senuran Muthusamy and Adam Milne.