Sediqullah Atal and Connor Esterhuizen set up MI Cape Town’s 95-run victory against the Pretoria Capitals at Newlands.

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town underlined their status as the SA20 team to beat this season with a comprehensive victory over the Pretoria Capitals at at Newlands on Sunday.

Robin Peterson’s team followed in the Paarl Royals’ footsteps by becoming the second team to preserve an unbeaten home record with five victories at the foot of Table Mountain.

MI Cape Town finished on 35 points – a record points tally after the league phase – due to their 95-run victory over the Capitals.

Despite making six changes to their lineup, the home team dominated the contest from the outset.

The new opening pair of Sediqullah Atal and Connor Esterhuizen displayed MI Cape Town’s formidable depth with a stunning 133-run stand for the first wicket.

Left-hander Sediqullah royally entertained the Newlands crowd with a dashing 46-ball 77 (four fours, six sixes), while Esterhuizen pummelled 69 off 43 balls (six fours, three sixes).

Delano Potgieter added the extras with a 15-ball 26 to power the hosts to 201-5 – the highest total at Newlands this season.

The momentum flowed through to MI Cape Town’s bowling unit with off-spinner Dane Piedt sensationally having Capitals opener Will Jacks caught behind off the very first ball of the reply.

Piedt, who was making his SA20 debut for his home town team, celebrated in wild fashion by running away to the Railway Stand in ecstasy.

The veteran off-spinner was in fine form as he picked up two further wickets to finish with the impressive figures of 3-28, which earned him the Man of the Match award.

“It has been amazing. I have grown up here. Played in front of my wife, son and parents,” said Piedt.

“I keep the guys motivated. I try to create good energy and get the guys to express themselves. I have been watching this from afar. But it has been amazing. This is what we have been calling out for. Can’t drop a Man of the Match.”

The MI Cape Town spinners were in fine form with leg-spinner Thomas Kaber bagging 3-21, while left-arm spinner George Linde also claimed 2-11.

Collectively, the spin trio claimed 8-60 to dismiss the Capitals for just 106 in 14 overs.

HIGHLIGHTS: MI Cape Town vs Pretoria Capitals (SA20)

MI Cape Town now travel to Gqeberha to face Paarl Royals in the first qualifier playoff at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

The winner advances straight through to the final at the Wanderers on Saturday.

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town rested seven first-choice players but were still too good for the Pretoria Capitals at Newlands.

Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis helped MI Cape Town eliminate the Pretoria Capitals from SA20 playoffs contention.

Photo: Arjun Singh/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town won their SA20 match in Centurion on Friday by 27 runs to go top of the SA20 log and end the Pretoria Capitals’ playoff hopes.

Despite lightning and some thundershowers interrupting MI Cape Town’s innings, it did nothing to dim the excitement, with the capacity crowd being treated to a batting exhibition of the highest order.

With the bowlers having dominated thus far this season, it was the turn of the batsmen to provide the excitement with a sum total of 417 runs pummelled on the night.

These teams were involved in a similar run-fest last season when they posted a record 462 runs at this same ground.

Unfortunately for the Centurion faithful, this was the last time they will see their team in action as the Capitals fell short of MI Cape Town’s 222-3.

The Capitals can now no longer qualify for the playoffs with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings advancing to the eliminator, set to be played in Centurion on Wednesday.

SA20 playoffs 31 Jan 2025

MI Cape Town raced out of the starting blocks with the in-form opening pair of Rassie van der Dussen (30 off 22 balls) and Ryan Rickelton (22 off 13) smashing 45 in just 4.4 overs.

This was only the taster for the main course delivered by Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis. The pair combined Hendricks’ elegance and timing with Brevis’ power to smash an unbroken 142-run partnership off just 68 balls for the fourth wicket.

The pair matched each other almost run for run with Hendricks finishing on 77* off 44 balls (four fours, five sixes) and Brevis 73* off 32 balls (six fours, six sixes).

“I have been working really hard in my off time,” Brevis said. “It’s the quiet time where you graft on your game and speak to the people who really care and most importantly enjoy the game and play with a smile and do whatever you can for the team.

“I’m playing the way I was playing when I was a little boy and got onto the scene. There was a time when I listened quite a bit, when you try too many things and be too clever for the game but I’m just watching the ball now.”

HIGHLIGHTS: Pretoria Capitals vs MI Cape Town (SA20)

The Capitals tried their level best in the run-chase with Will Smeed (52 off 36 balls, nine fours) striking his second half-century of the competition, but MI Cape Town kept picking up wickets to restrict the home team to 195-8.

“Batted nicely in parts but just didn’t find the rhythm. Key wickets at key times left us short. I think it was a good wicket and I think we had a chance – just didn’t pull it off,” said Capitals captain Kyle Verreynne.

“Our first five games came in eight or nine days. If you don’t get off to a good start, it’s tough to bring that back. In saying that, I think we played nice cricket and lost games along the way which is disappointing. Been tough to get that rhythm and momentum. That’s why we are where we are.”

The teams will meet again on Sunday at Newlands, before MI Cape Town head to St George’s Park for the first playoff qualifier clash against the Paarl Royals at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

Photo: Arjun Singh/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town ended the Pretoria Capitals’ playoff hopes with a 27-run win in Centurion.

The 2025 SA20 season has reached its final weekend of league matches with all the focus on the battle for the remaining two playoffs spots.

The Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town have secured their berths in the first playoff qualifier at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday.

But who will join them in the playoffs involves a three-way battle between the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (19 points), Joburg Super Kings (19 points) and Pretoria Capitals (14 points).

The Capitals may be trailing by five points, but they have two matches remaining compared to the Sunrisers and JSK’s one.

The Capitals will face an in-form MI Cape Town in both matches, starting with a crucial encounter in Centurion on Friday before heading down to Newlands on Sunday.

A bonus-point victory for the Capitals on Friday will place Kyle Verreynne’s team level on points with SEC and JSK heading into the final round of matches over the weekend.

Defeat for the Capitals and they will be reliant on other results working in their favour to reach the playoffs.

The Sunrisers have a straight shootout with the table-topping Paarl Royals at St George’s Park at 1pm

The defending champions will be hoping the passionate Orange Army inspire them in their final home match of the season to the victory they require that will send them straight into the playoffs.

A Royals victory will leave the Sunrisers’ fate hanging on the results of other matches.

The Joburg Super Kings will meet Durban’s Super Giants at the Wanderers on Saturday evening.

The Super Kings are filled with confidence after inflicting just the second defeat on the Royals this season on Thursday evening and will be eager to continue that momentum against a struggling DSG outfit.

Captain Faf du Plessis is also back in form and will be hoping to lead his team to the playoffs with a straight victory.

The prize these three teams are battling for is a spot in the eliminator on Wednesday in Centurion.

The victor will progress to the second qualifier playoff the following day in Centurion to meet the loser of the first qualifier playoff.

The winner of the first playoff qualifier will face-off against the winner of the second qualifier playoff in the final at the Wanderers on Saturday, 8 February.

Photo: Sportzpics

A much-changed Pretoria Capitals team crushed the Joburg Super Kings in Centurion.

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

The Pretoria Capitals stayed in SA20 playoffs contention with a six-wicket bonus-point victory over the Joburg Super Kings in Centurion on Tuesday.

The Capitals moved up to 14 points – just one behind the fourth-placed Super Kings.

Capitals coach Jonathan Trott made wholesale changes with five new players brought into the starting XI.

The captain’s armband was also passed to Kyle Verreynne after Rilee Rossouw withdrew due to the birth of his child.

Australian duo Ashton Turner and Tom Rogers, along with local speedster Gideon Peters, were all handed SA20 debuts, while Will Smeed returned to open the batting alongside new vice-captain Will Jacks.

Knowing that only a victory would keep their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs alive, the Capitals produced their most clinical performance of the season thus far.

Jacks set the tone with the ball, conceding just two runs from his two overs in the powerplay, which was just the confidence booster the Capitals required.

The Super Kings were unable to set any form of a platform, especially after the in-form Devon Conway was forced to leave the field in the third over after being hit on the arm.

Debutant Rogers had JSK skipper Du Plessis caught at short fine-leg before fellow newbie Peters launched his SA20 career in dramatic fashion.

The 26-year-old fast bowler fired in a rasping bouncer to Conway upon his return. The New Zealand international was visibly rushed for pace and only managed a half-hearted pull which he feathered behind to Verreynne.

Showing off his entire skill set in his first six deliveries, Peters switched to a searing yorker that thudded into Moeen Ali’s pads and the new Pretoria Capitals express had two wickets in his first over.

He maintained his control and pace throughout his four-over spell to finish with 2-15.

With left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy also chipping in with two wickets, it opened the JSK tail for Man of the Match Migael Pretorius to barge through the door with figures of 3-22 to restrict the Super Kings to 99-9.

HIGHLIGHTS: Pretoria Capitals vs Joburg Super Kings (SA20)

The Capitals were never in any trouble in getting to the 100-run target despite Lutho Sipamla continuing to impress for the Super Kings with another three-wicket haul.

Marques Ackerman held it all together with a 22-ball 39 that ensured the Capitals remain in the race for the playoffs with two matches against MI Cape Town remaining.

“It’s been a tough couple of days, so I’m pleased to get the bonus point. We were nice and clinical with the ball and the guys finishing it off with the bat was pleasing,” captain Verreynne said.

“We’ve only played two games at home earlier, so it was good to come back. There was nice energy out there.”

“In theory, we have two games left but it can become five games. We need to enjoy our game and play with a smile on our faces and that will hold us in good stead for the next two games.”

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

The Pretoria Capitals kept their SA20 playoff hopes alive with a bonus-point win in Centurion.