8:35pm So much anticipation, so much excitement and it all came to nothing in the end. A huge shoutout to those who braved the rain, though, and kept themselves entertained.

We will be back at it tomorrow, as Durban's Super Giants take on MI Cape Town in Durban, and we hope the weather stays fairer than it did tonight. Until then, this is goodbye on behalf of me (Shashwat), Chandan, Sudeep and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo! Take care, folks!

8:30pm That will be that, folks. The umpires have pulled the plug and this opening game of the second season of SA20 has officially been called off, ending as a damp squib (quite literally).

8:12pm Only the cover on the pitch remains but there is still a drizzle around. There is not a lot of time left for it to completely stop raining and for us to get a game in.

8pm It is still drizzling at St George's Park, and live pictures show that the covers are firmly in place. We have about 51 minutes to get a five-over-a-side game going, and that means time is running out fast. That has not dwindled the spirits of those in the crowd, though, who are dancing and playing their musical instruments.

7:40pm The covers did indeed start coming off an hour or so ago, but the rain seems to have returned since and the covers are back on. And so, we wait again...

6:40pm The covers are slowly starting to come off, and it has miraculously stopped raining. A few players are out on the field playing football.

Aditya: "A positive thing is that St George's Park has a really good drainage system. So I reckon we'll be right on the moment the rain stops" -- The drainage system is definitely good but play might not begin as soon as the rain stops, given how much it has rained. But yes, the good drainage does make some sort of contest likelier, and that is all that can be clung on to at the moment.

6pm There is a 60-minute buffer period before we start losing overs. That buffer period, though, ends at 6:30pm local time. The latest a five-overs-per-side contest can start is 8:51pm local time.

5:40pm Nothing new to report, unfortunately. The rain continues to fall at St George's Park, quite heavily, I must add,, and t does not look like we will be starting anytime soon.

5:30pm These sides met thrice last season. The Super Kings won both of the group games, however, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the match that had more riding on it. Most of the star cast has remained the same. Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan have been brought on board by JSK and SEC, respectively, though, and could play crucial roles through their campaign.

Ramble: "I'll be surprised if there is any play in Gqeberha today. Been raining pretty steadily for a while, and looking locked in from where I am about 10km up the road from St George's. Unfortunate, but hey plenty have been wrong about the weather here before!"

5pm The toss has officially been delayed. Not a big surprise, considering it has been raining for a while.

4:40pm The word from St George's Park is that it is currently raining. As we wait for it to relent, here is Firdose Moonda jotting down all you need to know about the SA20 and what to expect from this season.

4:30pm Move over Test cricket, it is time for the SA20, South Africa. A lot has been said over the past few days about the second-string team South Africa have selected to take on New Zealand in a Test series in February, as their best players assemble at this franchise competition.

A Pandora's box might have been opened, cricket's great modern-day debate - T20 club vs country - rages on. South Africa's Test coach Shukri Conrad confirmed amid all the noise that a competition like the SA20 has to be given priority as it is integral to the health and wellbeing of Test cricket in the country. Both he, and the players, he said, have accepted this. So, let's put all debate aside, and gear up for what lies ahead, right here, right now.

The SA20 was a success in its inaugural year. Thousands thronged the stadiums; the atmosphere was electric and the cricket riveting. Now, buckle up for season two - more star power, more entertainment, more drama and more high-octane T20 cricket.

Hello and welcome to ESPNcricinfo's live coverage of Match 1 of SA20 2024. It is a repeat of the semi-final from last year. Two star-studded sides: one hoping to defend their title, the other longing to become a part of SA20 folklore. It is the Sunrisers Eastern Cape versus the Joburg Super Kings, and this should be fun!