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With their sixth win on the trot Rashid Khan’s Cape Town put aside the miseries of the past two seasons – where they had finished at the bottom of the table – for the summit clash at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on February 8.
MI Cape Town players celebrate the dismissal of David Miller. (Sportzpics)
MI Cape Town produced yet another clinical performance to reaffirm their status as the best team in SA20 2024-25 brushing aside Paarl Royals in the Qualifier 1 played at the St George’s Park, Gqeberha by 39 runs to storm into their maiden final. After posting 199/4 – their third highest team total of the current edition and the highest at this venue – the bowlers came together to bundle out David Miller’s Royals for 160 in 19.4 overs on Tuesday.
With their sixth win on the trot Rashid Khan’s Cape Town put aside the miseries of the past two seasons – where they had finished at the bottom of the table – to enter the summit clash at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on February 8.
The bedrock of Cape Town win was set by their openers – as has been the case throughout the tournament – with the maverick Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen combining for 87-run opening stand in just 9.2 overs. By the time the duo was separated, Van der Dussen has eclipsed the young Lhuan-dre Gilbert Pretorius as the highest run-getter of this edition. His 44 came off just 20 deliveries with three fours and two sixes. Pretorius, on the other hand, managed just 15 off six before being snuffed out by Kagiso Rabada.
Rickelton departed shortly afterwards for 44 off 37 off Dayyaan Galiem, but Dewald Brevis, stepped up with a brilliant unbeaten 44 off 30 to provide the impetus for the MI Cape Town. With the pitch aiding stroke-making Brewis was at his marauding best clobbering four sixes – one of which came after a controversial decision.
With Brevis on 16 off 19, he had pulled a full toss straight to deep backward square leg, but with the with a no-ball called, he survived and went on to smack 28 runs off the next 11 deliveries to shift the momentum in his team’s favour as Royals lost the plot in the death overs. 74 runs in the last five overs. That was largely down to Delano Potgieter 17-ball 32 run-knock.
While the St George’s Park was not houseful with their home team Sunrisers Eastern Cape Town not playing, Brewis and Potgieter provided the decent crowd with some firework, while the famous St George’s Brass Band kept the vibe going at the old stand throughout.
In reply, Royals needed a breezy start, but Pretorius in the second over was far from ideal for them. Mitchell Owen went to Trent Boult in the 3rd, Rubin Hermann to Corbin Bosch in the 4th and by the Powerplay, Royal had been derailed. And, Rashid Khan was yet to bowl. Galiem’s poor day continued, as after conceding 28 runs in his 2.1 overs, he was run out while taking what appeared an innocuous second run.
Rashid cleaned up Dunith Wellalage to claimed his 632nd T20 victim – the most for any player in the format. Skipper kept Royals in the hunt with a few meaty blows en route to his 26-ball 45 but when he holed out in the 14th over with 78 runs more to win, it was curtains for Royals. Dinesh Karthik swept his way to 28 off 31, but Royals were always behind the eight-ball and conceded the match by 39 runs.
Rabada was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-0-18-2 while Boult and Rashid added two wickets apiece. Royals now await the winner of the Eliminator between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings match at the Centurion to be played on February 5.
Brief Scores: MI Cape Town 199/4 (Dewald Brevis 44*. Ryan Rickelton 40; Wellalage 2/23) beat Paarl Royals 160 all out (David Miller 45, Dinesh Karthik 31; Rabada 2/18) by 39 runs.
- Location :
Gqeberha (South Africa)