Darkness descends on Sunrisers as MI Cape Town claims maiden SA20 title in style

Zaahier Adams

MICT: 181/8 (Esterhuizen 39, Brevis 38, Gleeson 2/22, Jansen 2/39)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: 105 all out (Abell 30, De Zorzi 26, Rabada 4/25, Linde 2/29)

RESULT: MI Cape Town won by 76 runs

Like a runaway train there was no stopping MI Cape Town as they dethroned the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to win their maiden Betway SA20 title at rousing Wanderers on Saturday evening.

Robin Peterson’s team had been the dominant team throughout the competition, topping the log with a record 35 points, and now they have inflicted a first-ever play-off defeat on the Sunrisers.

MI Cape Town had played a fearless brand of cricket up to the final, and they continued with that aggressive brand of cricket to set Sunrisers a target of 182.

Throughout the competition the focus has been on MI Cape Town’s fearsome batting unit. But their bowling unit led by the irrepressible Kagiso Rabada (4/25) who claimed a magnificent four-wicket to spearhead his team’s victory charge

Rabada was ably supported by spin twins George Linde (2/20) and Rashid Khan (1/19).

It was Rabada that struck the initial blow by removing David Bedingham early on before Linde (2/20) and Rashid (1/19) spun a web around the Sunrisers’ potentially dangerous middle-order. Rabada then returned to clean up the Sunrisers tail as the defending champions folded under the scoreboard pressure of chasing in a final.

Not even a 57-run partnership between Tom Abell and Tony de Zorzi for the third wicket could ignite the Sunrisers’ innings, especially after they were dismissed within three runs of each other.

And when Markram was brilliantly caught by Rabada at point off Linde, it was merely an elongated wait for the new champions to be crowned as they slipped to 105 all out.

After winning the toss and electing to bat MI Cape Town had earlier raced out of the starting blocks with Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen taking the attack to the famed Sunrisers bowling attack.

In an almost premeditated plan it was Rickelton that targeted the competition’s premier bowler Marco Jansen. After a quiet opening over from Craig Overton, Rickelton swung hard against Jansen.

A straight boundary over Jansen’s head kickstarted the innings before two wild swings flew over deep third man and fine leg for a couple of sixes. MI Cape Town were away and Rickelton was leading the charge.

Two more sixes of Rickelton’s flaying willow in Jansen’s follow-up over saw MI Cape Town reach fifty without loss in just the fifth over.

But at that point things took a turn with Rickelton (33 off 15 balls; 1x4, 4x6) and new batter Reeza Hendricks (0 off 2 balls) falling within one run of the other to see MI Cape Town close out the Powerplay at 52/2.

The innings’ momentum swung wildly from thereon. Linde (20 off 14 balls, 3x6) and Dewald Brevis (38 off 18, 2x4, 4x6) provided the impetus while Connor Esterhuizen (39 off 26 balls, 2x4, 2x6) kept it all together.

After two seasons after finishing stone last on the table, MI Cape Town’s victory has been one of the most astounding comebacks in South African cricket history as they completed a fairytale win under the Highveld stars.