MI Cape Town has secured its first-ever appearance in the SA20 final with a commanding 39-run victory over Paarl Royals during the Qualifier match held at St George's Park, Gqeberha, on February 4, 2025.
The match saw MI Cape Town set an impressive total of 199 runs for the loss of four wickets, primarily driven by solid performances from top-order batsmen Ryan Rickelton, who scored 44 off 27 balls, and Rassie van der Dussen, who contributed 40 off 32 balls. The pair established a strong opening partnership of 87 runs within just 9.2 overs.
Following MI Cape Town's explosive start, the Royals managed to stage a mini-fight back by taking three wickets for just six runs, leaving MI Cape Town at 91 for 3. Despite this, Dewald Brevis and Delano Potgieter revitalized the innings, adding 74 runs during the closing overs. Brevis remained not out on 44 runs from 30 balls, including four sixes, and Potgieter contributed 32 runs off 17 balls.
During the Royals' run chase, they faced immediate setbacks. Although Lhuan-dre Pretorius began positively, scoring 15 runs off six deliveries, the batsmen quickly lost momentum against MI Cape Town's disciplined bowling. Standout bowler Kagiso Rabada took two wickets, and Rashid Khan, who became the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket, also grabbed two wickets, restricting the Royals to just 160 runs for 10 wickets.
The match's Player of the Match was Delano Potgieter, whose all-around contribution greatly aided MI Cape Town. Following the game, Potgieter expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, particularly highlighting the aggressive batting at the top and strong bowling line-up.
MI Cape Town's captain Rashid Khan also acknowledged the team's improvement this season, reflecting on their struggles during the previous editions of the tournament. "We haven't had many wins in the first two years for them. But this year, we had five out of five," he stated, emphasizing the support from fans as motivation for their successful run.
Paarl Royals, captained by David Miller, now face the challenge of bouncing back. Miller remarked, "We started on the back foot. Ricks and Rassie batted well… It takes one game to make a turnaround. Tonight, we failed to get off to a good start. That happens in T20s." The Royals will have another chance to make it to the final via Qualifier 2.
The victory is historically significant for MI Cape Town, who will compete against the winner of the upcoming match between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings. This triumph marks not only their ascendance to the finals but also signifies the culmination of their turnaround from two previous challenging seasons.