Coach Sourav Ganguly 'Excited' With His Team Pretoria Capitals One Win Away From SA20 Title

Sourav Ganguly fell short as captain in South Africa when India lost to Australia in the 2003 World Cup final in Johannesburg. In the same country, the former BCCI president now has the chance to win his first title as a coach. His team, the Pretoria Capitals, are facing the most successful team in SA20 history - Sunrisers Eastern Cape - in the final. Keshav Maharaj, the Capitals skipper, said the players feel reassured with Ganguly by their side and hope the success of the current season opens "more opportunities" for the former India captain.

"Sourav Ganguly is very excited. It's his first assignment as coach. He has been a captain who has won on many big occasions for India. Having someone of his stature in our dressing room has brought that sense of calm to the changing room. He is very positive, he is very accessible because he wants the best out of his players. He gives everyone the same equal love that everyone deserves," Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj said on the eve of the final.

"It's not easy carrying drinks and doing all the other stuff. But he has made it very clear that all members of the squad have a hand in getting the team up as a unit. Fingers crossed we can go all the way, and hopefully it unlocks a lot of opportunities for him."

The prize money on offer is Rand 32.5 million (approximately Rs 18.47 crore) for the SA20 winners - the second-highest franchise purse behind the IPL - with the remaining teams sharing a sum of Rand 70 million (approximately Rs 39.80 crore).

The finalists were the best sides in the group stages, with Sunrisers finishing top of the standings and the Capitals in second place.

But that's when the tables turned. Despite being beaten twice by the Sunrisers in the group stages, including an overwhelming 10-wicket defeat at home, the boys in sky blue from Pretoria stood up from the canvas to defeat the Orange Army in Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead.