In a performance that was as stunning as it was dominant at the Wanderers, MI Cape Town claimed their first-ever SA20 title with an emphatic victory over Aiden Markram’s Sunrisers Eastern Cape. The victory not only paid to the Sunrisers’ hopes of a three-peat but also marked the third time MI Cape Town had beaten them this season. It was a thrilling show of hard-hitting batting that gave way to a relentless bowling assault as MI Cape Town won by 76 runs.
Aggressive Batting by MI Cape Town Sets Up the Game
MI Cape Town decided to bat first and looked at home, as many of their top-order players have a working experience playing for the Lions at the Wanderers. The Highveld conditions have plenty of altitude with pace, and it suited their attacking batting style.
The batters of MI Cape Town did not play aggressively on their own but kept losing wickets on a regular basis and were always in search of boundaries. Their innings reached a total of 181/8, mainly because of a series of electrifying cameos.
Three of their batters scored over 30 runs, with each of them striking at a rate of 150 or above. Dewald Brevis was the standout performer, blasting an 18-ball 38, a knock that thrilled the crowd and showcased his rapid-fire batting. At 21, Brevis finished a great season and proved to be one of the brightest stars of the tournament.
Boult and Rabada Dismantle Sunrisers’ Chase
With a robust total on the board, MI Cape Town’s bowlers came to work, and it was the senior fast bowlers, specifically Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada, who did their jobs clinically. Boult, swinging the ball both ways, was a constant menace in the powerplay and ended his spell with figures of 2 wickets for just 9 runs in his four overs. Rabada, a key player in the middle overs, took charge and played a vital role in putting pressure on the Sunrisers’ batters.
Rashid Khan and left-arm finger spinner George Linde strangled the run rate further during the middle overs for the Sunrisers. This kept the visitors in check without letting them have any momentum whatsoever. Rabada then wrapped up the victory for MI Cape Town as the Sunrisers folded for a mere 105 runs in just 18.4 overs.
Poor Show by Sunrisers Eastern Cape
MI Cape Town had the bowlers with relentless pressure for much of Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s chase. Here, at times, their best batters failed to break free from the tight grip that the opposition had exerted. It was an early collapse of the top order for the Sunrisers, with none of them going on to build a strong partnership. The bowling of MI Cape Town, led by Boult and Rabada, strangled the Sunrisers’ chase, and eventually, the Sunrisers crumbled early in the chase to be bowled out for 105, short of the required runs, gifting MI Cape Town a convincing win.
MI Cape Town Win Their First SA20 Title in Season-Ending Showdown
MI Cape Town has set their mark in the final leg as the new victors of SA20. Having prevented the Sunrisers from retaining the trophy for a third successive year, they have also provided a flawless close to MI’s participation in the tournament. The win cements further the legacy of MI in T20 franchise cricket as they have titles in every significant T20 competition entered by them.
Read More
The win would be a testament to the all-round brilliance of MI Cape Town, with explosive batting, important contributions from their seasoned bowlers, and great leadership from Rashid Khan. Their victory now cements their place as one of the most successful franchises in T20 cricket history, and it signals the beginning of a new era for the team in South Africa’s premier T20 competition.
ALSO READ: PAK vs NZ: Crushing Defeat For Pakistan In Triangular Series
