TRISTAN STUBBS, THE SUPER GIANTS SLAYER

When it comes to delivering in the death-overs, there are few batters around who do it better than Tristan Stubbs – especially if your team name has Super Giants in it.

On Tuesday, while playing for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants, the 23-year-old smashed an unbeaten 57 off just 25 balls. In the process, ‘Stubbo’ moved to the top of the list of batters with the most runs in the last five overs of an innings during IPL 2024. He has racked up 252 runs at ‘the death’, at a strike rate of 262.5.

Of course, Betway SA20 fans, and particularly Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Orange Army of supporters are more than familiar with Stubbs’ 360° power-hitting prowess. Whether it’s clubbing short-pitched balls way over cow corner, finessing drives into the cover boundary or scooping (and reverse-scooping) exasperated bowlers for fours and sixes behind the wicket, Stubbs has an answer for every delivery he faces.

Tristan Stubbs has every shot in the book - and some which aren't quite 'in the book'

In the inaugural season of South Africa’s premier T20 cricket league, his record-price tag may have weighed on his shoulders a bit but in Season 2 the best of his finishing ability was on show. It started with a 26-ball 55 in a losing cause against Durban’s Super Giants at St George’s Park before gaining revenge with an unbeaten 66 off 37 balls to win the reverse fixture at Kingsmead.

A few more cameos followed during the campaign before, in the Final, against DSG again, Stubbs smashed 56 not out of 30 balls. In so doing, he guided Sunrisers to a total of 204 which proved unassailable for Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Heinrich Klaasen and co.

The Proteas, will hope that Stubbs retains his giant-slaying ability when the T20 World Cup gets underway next month in the West Indies and USA.