SA20 2025: MI Cape Town Dismantle Defending Champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape In Opener By 97 Runs

SA20 2025: MI Cape Town Dismantle Defending Champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape In Opener By 97 Runs

Cricket

MI Cape Town hammered defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape by 97 runs in the SA20 2025 opener at St George's Park in Gqeberha

MI Cape Town kick-started their SA20 2025 campaign with an emphatic 97-run victory over defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape at St George's Park, Gqeberha on Thursday. (Match Live Blog)

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, MI Cape Town posted a competitive total of 174/7 in 20 overs, thanks to Dewald Brevis' blistering knock of 57 runs off 28 balls, including 6 sixes.

Cape Town's innings got off to a shaky start with opener Reeza Hendricks dismissed for a duck off 3 balls. However, Rassie van der Dussen anchored the innings with a composed 16 off 15 balls. The middle order provided crucial support as Connor Esterhuizen (22), Colin Ingram (22), George Linde (23) and Delano Potgieter's unbeaten 25 off 12 balls added valuable runs, keeping the scoreboard ticking and lifting the team's total.

In reply, Sunrisers Eastern Cape were handed a massive blow early in their chase of 175 runs as Trent Boult made quick work of top-order batsmen Zak Crawley (12 off 14 balls) and Tom Abell (0 off 1).

Aiden Markram (19) and Jordan Hermann (4) both failed to contribute significantly as the pressure mounted.

Tristan Stubbs (13), Beyers Swanepoel (1), and David Bedingham (0) also fell victim to MI Cape Town’s relentless bowling attack.

Boult claimed two wickets for 16 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai and George Linde each took one wicket. But it was Delano Potgieter’s all-round brilliance that stood out, taking 5 wickets for just 10 runs.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape crumbled for a mere 77 runs in just 15 overs, and MI Cape Town secured a resounding victory by 97 runs.