Proteas fast bowler Lizaad Williams is keen to help the Joburg Super Kings reach their first SA20 final, especially as the 2025 decider will be played at the Wanderers. KHUNULOGO MPOLOKENG reports.

JSK went down to Durban’s Super Giants in the second qualifier playoff at home earlier this year, having been knocked out in the semi-finals by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in 2023.

With next year’s final having been confirmed for the Bullring on 8 February, Williams said it would be important for the Super Kings to get there.

“It is indeed a big factor that the final will be played at the Wanderers because everyone is trying to build a team that’s going to suit their home conditions,” he said at Monday’s tournament launch in Johannesburg. “If we can get into the final, you can say it gives us a bit of advantage because it’s our home ground.

“But there’s so much that’s going to happen before the final, and it’s just about playing consistent cricket throughout the SA20. The Sunrisers have been consistent for the past two seasons and that’s what’s required to win trophies.”

Williams said his personal objective for next year’s edition is to be fit for every JSK match.

“It’s just trying to stay injury-free; I got injured this year just before the semi-final [second qualifier playoff] and it had an influence on the balance of our side. At the moment, I’m just trying to get my body in the best shape to be ready for when the games start.

“And from a team perspective, I just hope we can go one step further because we lost in two semi-finals.”

The 30-year-old acknowledged that performing well in the SA20 increases players’ chances of playing white-ball cricket for the national team.

“You can see what the IPL has done for Indian cricket and the SA20 is doing the same thing for the Proteas.

“If you look at a guy like Matthew Breetzke, for example, he had a very good season last season and later in the year he made his debut [for the Proteas]. Ryan Rickelton scored the most runs in the SA20 and later in the year he made his Proteas [T20I] debut as well, so it’s definitely a stepping stone.

“The standard of cricket is so high, it’s the closest you can get to international cricket; and if you play in front of a packed crowd here at the Wanderers, it just makes it a bit easier to deal with the pressures of international cricket.”

The Joburg Super Kings will open their 2025 SA20 campaign against MI Cape Town at the Wanderers on 11 January.

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