LIO vs WP 2nd Semi-Final Highlights: Seletswane 78 Seals 16-Run Win for Lions

Lions beat Western Province by 16 runs in 2nd Semi-Final of CSA Pro T20 Cup. Here is how the match turned, ball by ball: the overs that changed it, the wickets that mattered and the numbers behind the result.

Key moments, ball by ball

1. LIO Over 10 — 18 runs came off the over, bowled by Tshepo Moreki: 1 1 6 wd 4 4 1
2. LIO Over 12.6 — Onkgomoditse Seletswane brings up a fifty off 35 balls
3. LIO Over 16.3 — Onkgomoditse Seletswane out for 72 (47), c k verreynne b o whitehead by Oliver Whitehead. 147/1
4. LIO Over 19.4 — Connor Esterhuizen out for 37 (16), c r daniels b o whitehead by Oliver Whitehead. 189/2
5. LIO Over 20 — 20 runs came off the over, bowled by Oliver Whitehead: wd 6 6 4 W 1 1
6. WP Over 8.2 — Jiveshan Pillay out for 25 (19), c c esterhuizen b s plaatjie by Siya Plaatjie. 69/2
7. WP Over 16.6 — George Linde brings up a fifty off 28 balls
8. WP Over 17 — 19 runs came off the over, bowled by Siya Plaatjie: nb 1 wd 6 W 1 2 1
9. WP Over 17.5 — George Linde out for 60 (33), c c esterhuizen b nqabayomzi peter by Nqabayomzi Peter. 157/5
10. WP Over 18 — 17 runs came off the over, bowled by Nqabayomzi Peter: 2 2 2 4 wd W 6
11. WP Over 18.6 — Codi Yusuf completes a 3-wicket haul
12. WP Over 19.3 — Western Province collapse: 3 wickets for 16 runs (157/5 to 173/8)

How the runs came

Lions were 86 after 10 overs and finished on 194/2. Western Province were 76 after 10 overs and finished on 178/8.

Phase by phase

The two sides were level phase by phase; single overs made the difference.

Lions innings: over by over

Lions faced 35 dot balls (29%), hit 17 fours and 8 sixes, and got 11 extras. The best stand was 147 off 99 balls between Onkgomoditse Seletswane & Bjorn Fortuin.

Fall of wickets: 147-1 (Onkgomoditse Seletswane, 16.3), 189-2 (Connor Esterhuizen, 19.4)

Western Province innings: over by over

Western Province faced 29 dot balls (24%), hit 10 fours and 7 sixes, and got 9 extras. The best stand was 69 off 43 balls between Daniel Smith & George Linde. Between overs 18.5 and 19.3 they slipped from 157/5 to 173/8.

Fall of wickets: 36-1 (Kashief Joseph, 4.3), 69-2 (Jiveshan Pillay, 8.2), 73-3 (Kyle Verreynne, 9.2), 142-4 (Daniel Smith, 16.3), 157-5 (George Linde, 17.5), 169-6 (Mihlali Mpongwana, 18.5), 170-7 (Josh Breed, 18.6), 173-8 (Oliver Whitehead, 19.3)

Our view

Lions made a strong start with the bat and kept the pressure on Western Province throughout the innings. Onkgomoditse Seletswane was the standout performer, scoring 78 off 53 balls and sharing a massive 147-run opening stand with Bjorn Fortuin. Even after Seletswane departed, Connor Esterhuizen provided a quick boost with 38 off just 16 balls. The final over was particularly expensive for Western Province, as Oliver Whitehead conceded 20 runs despite picking up a wicket. That late push took Lions to 194/2, giving them a challenging total to defend.

Western Province had a decent start to the chase, but George Linde's 59 off 33 balls was what really kept them in the contest. His partnership with Daniel Smith helped the team stay within reach, and the 17th over brought 19 runs to build some momentum. However, Linde's dismissal at 157/5 changed the picture, as Western Province suddenly lost three wickets for just 16 runs. Codi Yusuf and the other Lions bowlers made sure there was no late comeback, despite an expensive 18th over. Western Province finished on 178/8, falling 16 runs short. The late collapse proved costly in a match where Lions' strong batting finish had already given them the edge.

Top performers

• Onkgomoditse Seletswane — 78 (53 balls)
• George Linde — 59 (33 balls)
• Connor Esterhuizen — 38 (16 balls)
• Raeeq Daniels — 2/26 (3 ov)
• Codi Yusuf — 2/37 (4 ov)
• Siya Plaatjie — 2/37 (4 ov)

Full scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary: Lions vs Western Province