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Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape started the season with three consecutive defeats but delivered when it mattered most, defeating Paarl Royals by eight wickets in the Second Qualifier, to be just one win away from securing a hat-trick of SA20 titles.
Tony De Zorzi and Jordan Harmaan put on a 111-run partnership for the second wicket as the defending champions overhauled Paarl Royals' competitive 175/4 for the loss of two wickets in 19.2 overs on Thursday.
After defeating Joburg Super Kings in the Eliminator, Sunrisers played their second consecutive match in less than 24 hours as they set up a title clash with Rashid Khan's MI Cape Town, who are in red-hot form after winning the last five matches.
As soon as captain Aiden Markram hit the winning four off Kwena Mphaka in the 100th SA20 match, celebrations broke out at Supersport Park.
Electing to bat, Royals' Mitchell Owen was caught in the slip by Craig Overton for a duck off Marco Jansen. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 18, continued his terrific form scoring 59 off 41 balls, which included eight fours and a six.
He was caught behind by Tristan Stubbs off Overton.
Rubin Harman, who got three lives in his innings, scored an unbeaten 81, including eight fours and three sixes.
Sunrisers captain Markram dropped a return catch, while Rubin's brother Jordan too was guilty on another occasion. Their father Marius was present in the gallery to watch his two sons play for rival teams wearing half orange and half pink jersey.
The biggest blow to the Royals came when captain David Miller (6) was given leg-before to Markram.
Dinesh Karthik, who became the first Indian cricketer to make his debut in SA20, could manage just two runs. However, Andile Phehlukwayo scored a quick-fire 22 runs off 11 balls to give Royals a competitive total.
The architects of victory for Sunrisers were Tony de Zorzi and Jordan Hermann, who shared a vital 111-run partnership for the second wicket. Sunrisers lost the wicket of opener David Bedingham on the first ball of the fourth over. He was caught by Karthik off Kwena Maphaka.
Zorzi scored 78 off 49 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, while Jordan remained unbeaten on 69 runs off 48 balls. Dunith Velalage sent Zorzi back in the 15th over.
Jordan and Markram then led the team to victory with four balls to spare.
Sunrisers had won the title in the inaugural season in 2023 by defeating Pretoria Capitals. They had beaten Durban SuperGiants in the 2024 edition of SA20.
Paarl Royals captain Miller conceded his team lost the momentum in the last two group games.
"When it did count at the back-end of the tournament, we didn't have that punch. We competed very well in the first half but could not continue that. But I am very proud of the team, the way they have performed throughout the tournament," he said.