Disciplined effort with bat and ball helps Rashid Khan’s men rout champs Sunrisers Eastern Cape by 76 runs to clinch maiden T20 crown in South Africa
MI Cape Town players celebrate their 76-run win over Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the Betway SA20 final at Wanderers, Johannesburg, on Saturday. Pic/SA20
Throughout the third edition of the Betway SA20, Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram had been wary of his team’s batting abilities. In the Eliminator and the Qualifier 2, his batters put up a good show, however, in the final, his worst fears came true, as SEC’s willow wielders failed to apply themselves while attempting to chase down MI Cape Town’s 181/8 at a packed Wanderers Stadium here on Saturday. Consequently, they were dismissed for 105 in 18.4 overs, an embarrassing 76 runs short, thereby failing to achieve the three peat which they were so eagerly eyeing, having won the previous two editions of the tournament.
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The summit clash was always going to be a contest between MICT’s aggressive batting line-up and SEC’s consistent bowling brigade. And when MICT skipper Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat, his batters knew they had to repay his faith with a good show. Interestingly though, there was not a single big score from the MICT batters, but most of them made valuable contributions and at a breakneck pace nevertheless.
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After openers Rassie van der Dussen (25-ball 23, 2x6) and Ryan Rickleton (15-ball 33, 1x4, 4x6) gave MICT the perfect start (52 in 5 overs), No. 3 Reeza Hendricks was the only blip, out for a duck. Thereafter, Connor Esterhuizen (26-ball 39, 2x4, 2x6), George Linde (14-ball 20, 3x6) and Dewald Brevis (18-ball 38, 2x4, 4x6) all made effective contributions to take MICT to 181/8 off 20 overs.
Brevis was the star of the evening, hammering the SEC bowlers to all corners of the Bull Ring. His back-to-back sixes off left-arm spinner Liam Dawson in the 13th over were particularly special – both full deliveries slammed over long-off and long-on respectively. Esterhuizen then continued where Brevis left off. He too hammered back-to-back sixes, this time off SEC captain Markram in the 17th over. The night couldn’t have gotten any worse for Markram as, moments later, he dropped Kagiso Rabada on the fence in the 19th over after which MICT added another 14 runs off eight balls to post an imposing total.
In reply, SEC were never in the chase. Tony de Zorzi (26 off 23, 3x4, 1x6) and Tom Abell (30 off25, 4x4, 1x6) were the only notable contributions. Captain Markram (6 off 5) capped a poor night with an uninspiring edge to point off left-arm spinner Linde only to be smartly pouched by Rabada, leaving his team tottering at 74/5 in 11.5 overs. His remaining batters followed him back to the pavilion soon after as SEC were bowled out for 105 in 18.4 overs.
Pace ace Rabada was the pick of the MICT bowlers with 4-25 as firecrackers filled the Johannesburg sky here to celebrate MICT’s maiden title.
Brief Scores
MI Cape Town 181/8 in 20 overs (C Esterhuizen 39, D Brevis 38; R Gleeson 2-22) beat Sunrisers Eastern Cape 105 all out in 18.4 overs (T Abell 30; K Rabada 4-25) by 76 runs.
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