Gqeberha, South Africa, Feb 5 (PTI) – MI Cape Town continued their sensational run in the SA20, defeating Paarl Royals by 39 runs in the First Qualifier to book their place in the tournament's maiden final. The victory at St George's Park on Sunday sees MI Cape Town edge closer to securing their first-ever SA20 title.
The much-awaited final will take place at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday, while Paarl Royals will have to regroup for the Second Qualifier on Thursday. There, they will face the winner of the upcoming Eliminator between two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and the Joburg Super Kings, scheduled for Wednesday.
MI Cape Town set a formidable total of 199/4 in their allotted 20 overs, and then bowled Paarl Royals out for 160 in 19.4 overs.
Paarl Royals, already under pressure after a series of costly overs, suffered further setbacks. Kwena Maphaka leaked 15 runs in the fourth over, followed by Bjorn Fortuin conceding 20 runs in the next. Despite a strong effort from Royals captain David Miller, MI Cape Town's openers continued to dominate.
Miller made the tactical decision to introduce Dunith Wellalage in the seventh over, which nearly paid off. However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped a sitter off Rickelton when he was on 33, leaving the Royals frustrated.
The breakthrough came in the 10th over when Dayyaan Galiem dismissed Van der Dussen, who mistimed a simple catch to Miller at mid-off. Rickelton fell in the following over, caught by Mitchell Owen at the boundary, bringing the score to 93/3. However, George Linde (26 off 14 balls) and Dewald Brevis (31 off 17) revived the innings with a rapid 74-run partnership in just 32 balls, setting a new highest total of the season at St George's Park.
Dinesh Karthik, who has been instrumental in Royals' campaign, chipped in with a valiant 31, but the Royals' middle-order crumbled under pressure. MI Cape Town's Rashid Khan, in his usual menacing form, made his mark by cleaning up Dunith Wellalage, pushing him past West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo as the all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 632 wickets.
With their spot in the final now secured, MI Cape Town will look to carry their momentum forward as they aim to lift their first-ever SA20 title.
The much-awaited final will take place at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday, while Paarl Royals will have to regroup for the Second Qualifier on Thursday. There, they will face the winner of the upcoming Eliminator between two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and the Joburg Super Kings, scheduled for Wednesday.
MI Cape Town set a formidable total of 199/4 in their allotted 20 overs, and then bowled Paarl Royals out for 160 in 19.4 overs.
Flying Start Propels MI Cape Town
The opening partnership between Rassie van der Dussen (40 off 32 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Ryan Rickelton (44 off 27 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) once again provided MI Cape Town with a blistering start, as the duo smashed 66 runs during the powerplay. This explosive opening laid the foundation for a daunting total, and was MI Cape Town's fifth consecutive win of the season. Their last defeat came at the hands of the same team, Paarl Royals, on January 15.Paarl Royals, already under pressure after a series of costly overs, suffered further setbacks. Kwena Maphaka leaked 15 runs in the fourth over, followed by Bjorn Fortuin conceding 20 runs in the next. Despite a strong effort from Royals captain David Miller, MI Cape Town's openers continued to dominate.
Miller made the tactical decision to introduce Dunith Wellalage in the seventh over, which nearly paid off. However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped a sitter off Rickelton when he was on 33, leaving the Royals frustrated.
The breakthrough came in the 10th over when Dayyaan Galiem dismissed Van der Dussen, who mistimed a simple catch to Miller at mid-off. Rickelton fell in the following over, caught by Mitchell Owen at the boundary, bringing the score to 93/3. However, George Linde (26 off 14 balls) and Dewald Brevis (31 off 17) revived the innings with a rapid 74-run partnership in just 32 balls, setting a new highest total of the season at St George's Park.
Paarl Royals Struggle in Chase
In reply, Paarl Royals began confidently, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Mitchell Owen taking 21 runs off Trent Boult's first over. However, MI Cape Town pacer Kagiso Rabada struck early, dismissing Pretorius for 15 off 6 balls, which put the Royals on the back foot. From there on, the pressure mounted, with only Miller offering serious resistance, scoring 45 runs off 26 balls.Dinesh Karthik, who has been instrumental in Royals' campaign, chipped in with a valiant 31, but the Royals' middle-order crumbled under pressure. MI Cape Town's Rashid Khan, in his usual menacing form, made his mark by cleaning up Dunith Wellalage, pushing him past West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo as the all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 632 wickets.
Rabada Reflects on Team’s Success
MI Cape Town's star pacer, Kagiso Rabada, reflected on the team's success, highlighting the collective effort and the hunger displayed by the young players. "The local players are stepping up, and everyone in the team is looking to make an impact. For the final, we will take it one step at a time, not overthink, and just stick to what has worked for us throughout the tournament," he said.With their spot in the final now secured, MI Cape Town will look to carry their momentum forward as they aim to lift their first-ever SA20 title.
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