MI Cape Town made a stellar start after winning the toss, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickleton dominating the Pretoria Capitals’ bowling, reaching a formidable 66/1 by the end of the powerplay. In the fifth over, van der Dussen showcased his power by smashing three sixes off Pretoria skipper Wayne Parnell but fell victim to Parnell’s delivery on the next ball.
Despite this setback, Rickelton played a pivotal role, securing a half-century off 28 balls. By the 11th over, the visitors had reached 116/2, with Rickelton and Dewald Brevis at the crease, laying the foundation for a substantial total.
The MICT innings gained momentum as Rickelton unleashed a carnage, propelling the score to 151/3 in 14 overs with an impressive 90 off 45 deliveries. A resilient partnership of 32 runs between Brevis and Sam Curran was eventually broken by Parnell in the 18th over, dismissing Curran.
While Curran departed after contributing 22 off 14, Brevis continued his onslaught, guiding MICT to 198/4 in 18 overs. The final two overs witnessed explosive hitting by Brevis and Keiron Pollard, with the Capitals conceding 50 runs. MICT reached an imposing target of 248/4.
In response, Pretoria Capitals started strongly with Will Jacks amassing 23 runs in the first over. However, Sam Curran provided the initial breakthrough, dismissing Philip Salt. Nuwan Thushara then created a storm with consecutive wickets of Riley Rossouw and Colin Ackermann, disrupting the Capitals’ middle order.
— Glennmax (@maxglenn425) February 1, 2024
— Glennmax (@maxglenn425) February 1, 2024
Despite a shaky phase, a resilient partnership of 78 runs between Parnell and Kyle Verreynne added stability. Although the lower order faced some dismissals, Adil Rashid and Verreynne persevered, determined to steer the Capitals towards victory. Despite Verreynne’s remarkable century, MI Cape Town secured the win by 34 runs, safeguarding their net run rate and denying the Capitals a bonus point.