The third edition of SA20 started off with great success MI Cape Townwho achieved a great victory of 97 times Sunrisers Eastern Cape at St George's Park. The openers of the game set the stage for an exciting season, with Delano Potgieter providing the right form for the all-rounder.
MI Cape Town's innings: A power-packed display
After winning the toss and electing to toss first, Sunrisers Eastern Cape faced a strong batting from MI Cape Town. Despite losing opener Reeza Hendricks for a duck, MI Cape Town quickly regrouped. Dewald Brevis he played with an impressive knock of 57 off just 29 balls, smashing three fours and four sixes. His fierce hitting ended the opposition's attacks and laid a solid foundation for a well-rounded contest.
Contributions from Colin Ingram (22 from 18) and Connor Esterhuizen (22 from 21) helped stabilize the innings, while George Linde (23 from 17) added the necessary runs in the middle. Delano Potgieter's late fireworks, with 25 not out from just 12 balls, ensured that MI Cape Town finished strong at 174/7 in 20 overs.
Among the Sunrisers Eastern Cape bowlers, Richard Gleeson stood out with 2/22 in his four overs. Marco Jansen also picked up two crucial wickets but conceded 38 runs. Despite their best efforts, the Sunrisers bowlers could not contain the MI Cape Town batsmen in the death overs.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape's innings Eastern Cape: Battery collapse
Chasing 175 to win, Sunrisers Eastern Cape struggled from the start. Trent Boult struck early, dismissing Jordan Hermann and Tom Abell cheaply, leaving the crowd reeling. Captain Aiden Markram (19 off 19) and Zak Crawley (12 off 14) tried to rebuild but failed to get going.
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The match in the middle was disrupted due to pressure from the MI Cape Town players. Delano Potgieter was the best bowler, taking 5/10 in three overs. His speech disturbed the Sunrisers line-up, leaving them all out for just 77 in the 15th over. Azmatullah Omarzai and George Linde also contributed with one wicket each, while Trent Boult picked up two wickets in his opener.
MI Cape Town won by 97 runs
Scorecard: https://t.co/GgjptQCydX#SA20 #cricket #SECvMICT pic.twitter.com/e3nRm1sYEd
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 10, 2025
Player of the Match
All of Delano Potgieter's wins were the highlight of the game. His 25 runs at the death boosted MI Cape Town's attack, and his devastating five-wicket haul sealed the victory. Potgieter's ability to deliver pressure earned him Man of the Match.