Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada produced an inspired bowling performance to lead MI Cape Town to their maiden SA20 title with a comfortable 76 runs win over two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. After finishing last in the previous two seasons, the Rashid Khan-led MI Cape Town hardly put any foot wrong in the third season. Rabada on Saturday night claimed 4/25 in 3.4 overs to dismiss Sunrisers Eastern Cape for just 105 in response to MI Cape Town’s 181 for 8 — the second-highest score in a SA20 final.
Rabada was ably supported by player-of-the-match Trent Boult, who took two wickets for just nine runs from his four overs, spin twins George Linde (2/20) and skipper Rashid (1/19).
Chasing 182, the Aiden Markram-led Sunrisers, which had registered consecutive wins over Joburg Super Kings and Paarl Royals in the last two matches, could not maintain the momentum and except Tom Abell and Tony de Zorzi, no other batter could live upto the expectations.
Leg-spinner Rashid, who had surprised the cricket world by leading Afghanistan to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year, has added another feather in his already illustrious career.
Earlier, in the same tournament, he became the highest wicket-taker in the T20 format.
High on confidence after five wins on the trot before the final, MI Cape Town won the toss and chose to bat.
In-form Ryan Rickelton (33 off 15; 1×4, 4x6s) and Rassie van der Dussen (23 off 25; 2x6s) showed their intent from the onset, giving an aggressive start to MI Cape Town’s innings.
Craig Overton bowled an economical first over in which only three runs came but in the second over Rickelton smashed sixes over deep third man and fine-leg besides a straight four over Marco Jansen’s head.
Overton too was not spared as Van der Dussen hit a six over square leg while Rickelton continued his attacking game against Jansen by hitting two brilliant sixes in the fourth over.
But MI Cape Town suffered consecutive blows which gave Sunrisers a chance to make a comeback in the game.
Rickelton was the first to depart, deceived by a slower ball from Overton and Liam Gleeson took a fine catch.
In the very next over, Liam Dawson dismissed Reeza Hendricks, who failed to open his account.
MI scored 52 runs for the loss of two wickets in the Powerplay.
The wickets stemmed the flow of runs as left-arm wrist spinner Dawson gave only four runs in the seventh over.
Van der Dussen looked uncomfortable from the beginning and was the next to depart stumped by Tristan Stubbs off Dawson in the ninth over. In an effort to break the shackles, George Linde (20 off 14; 3x6s) hit Sunrisers captain Markram for a four in the 10th over.
In the next over, he hit Dawson over his head and then a six over long off followed by a four, but perished in the last ball in search of another big shot, caught by Overton at long off.
MI Cape Town regained their composure through a couple of middle-order partnerships. Dewald Brevis (38 off 18; 2x4s, 4x6s) and Connor Esterhuizen (39 off 26; 2x4s, 2x6s) stitched 50 runs off just 30 balls for the fifth wicket to take MI Cape Town to a winning total.
Richard Gleeson was the best bowler for Sunrisers, taking two wickets for 22 runs from his four overs.
Besides, Jansen (2/39) and Dawson (2/40) also chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Chasing, Sunrisers needed a strong start but their batters never looked comfortable in the Powerplay as within three overs, their two in-form young batters David Bedingham and Jordan Harmaan were sent back to the pavilion. Bedingham was dimissed by Rabada, while Harmaan got out to Boult.
Abell (30 off 25; 4x4s, 1×6) and De Zorzi (26 off 23; 3x4s, 1×6) battled hard to rebuild the innings with a 57-run partnership for the third wicket, but they fell within three runs of each other to Linde and Rashid respectively to leave Sunrisers precariously placed on 68/4 in 10.3 overs.
MI Cape Town bowlers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals as Linde dismissed Markram, caught by Rabada in the next over.
Sunrisers last remaining hopes were dashed when Stubbs (15) and Jansen (5) were dismissed by Boult and Rabada respectively.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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