MI Cape Town fended off Sunrisers Eastern Cape to capture their first SA20 title, prevailing by 76 runs as Kagiso Rabada closed out a cagey final. (Match Highlights | More Cricket News)
It was a true team effort 🍸from MI Cape Town – who finished bottom in both 2023 and 2024 – with the bat, as five players made totals of 20 or more – none scoring more than 39 runs.
Marco Jansen, Richard Gleeson and Liam Dawson all scalped two wickets a𒈔piece for Eastern Cape, though only four of those came before the 16th over of the MI innings.
Dewald Brevis hit 38 runs off 18 balls before he was caught by A♏iden Markram, while team-mate Connor Esterhuizen was on 39 when he fell victim to Jansen's diving catch.
MI Cape Town could only add six runs through three ov♏ers after that, but their score of 181-8 prov🍸ed easily defendable.
Toney De Zorzi (26), Tom Abell (30) and Tristan Stubbs (15) were the only Sunrisers batters to reach double figures, but Rashid🦹 Khan trapped the former lbw, then caught the latter.
That left Eastern Cape – the two-time defending champions – relying on their tail, but Rabada had no mercy, finishing witꦗh brilliant figures of 4-14 through 3.4 overs as they were bowled out for 105.
Speakin🔯g after the game, victorious captain Rashid said: "It feels amazing and unbelievable - especially after being at the bottom of the table in the ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚlast two years.
"I'm so happy. I have no words."
