Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada produced an inspired bowling performance to guide MI Cape Town to their maiden SA20 title with a cushty 76 runs win over two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the ultimate on the Wanderers in Johannesburg. After ending last within the previous two seasons, the Rashid Khan-led MI Cape Town hardly put any foot fallacious within 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 rating 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 4 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 within the last two matches, couldn’t 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 yr, has added one other feather in his already illustrious profession.
Earlier, in the identical tournament, he became the best wicket-taker within the T20 format.
High on confidence after five wins on the trot before the ultimate, MI Cape Town won the toss and selected 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 begin to MI Cape Town’s innings.
Craig Overton bowled a cost-effective first over wherein only three runs got here but within the second over Rickelton smashed sixes over deep third man and fine-leg besides a straight 4 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 sensible sixes within the fourth over.
But MI Cape Town suffered consecutive blows which gave Sunrisers a likelihood to make a comeback in the sport.
Rickelton was the primary to depart, deceived by a slower ball from Overton and Liam Gleeson took a effective catch.
Within the very next over, Liam Dawson dismissed Reeza Hendricks, who did not open his account.
MI scored 52 runs for the lack of two wickets within the Powerplay.
The wickets stemmed the flow of runs as left-arm wrist spinner Dawson gave only 4 runs within the seventh over.
Van der Dussen looked uncomfortable from the start and was the subsequent to depart stumped by Tristan Stubbs off Dawson within the ninth over. In an effort to interrupt the shackles, George Linde (20 off 14; 3x6s) hit Sunrisers captain Markram for a 4 within the tenth over.
In the subsequent over, he hit Dawson over his head after which a six over long off followed by a 4, but perished within the last ball in the hunt for one other big shot, caught by Overton at long off.
MI Cape Town regained their composure through a few 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 one of the best bowler for Sunrisers, taking two wickets for 22 runs from his 4 overs.
Besides, Jansen (2/39) and Dawson (2/40) also chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Chasing, Sunrisers needed a powerful start but their batters never looked comfortable within the Powerplay as inside 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 inside three runs of one another to Linde and Rashid respectively to depart Sunrisers precariously placed on 68/4 in 10.3 overs.
MI Cape Town bowlers continued to select up wickets at regular intervals as Linde dismissed Markram, caught by Rabada in the subsequent over.
Sunrisers last remaining hopes were dashed when Stubbs (15) and Jansen (5) were dismissed by Boult and Rabada respectively.
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