That's a wrap from this coverage! MI Cape Town were simply too dominant, steamrolling the Sunrisers Eastern Cape with a flawless performance. Rashid Khanâs men have now done the double over the Sunrisers this season and have secured their place in the playoffs alongside the Paarl Royals.
With just a few games left in the league stage, the battle for the remaining two playoff spots is heating up. Do join us tomorrow for yet another cracking clash all the way from The Wanderers.
For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Anirudh Modi who, along with scorer/analyst Paras Yadav brought all the actions of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYEđ
Rashid Khan (MI Cape Town Captain): "Ground fielding is very important in T20s. The last game, the way we fielded gave the bowlers the confidence to pick up 4 wickets in the first 10. Today, we had the same conversation, it's something in our control and the way they fielded and especially the catches, put us way ahead in the game.
The way Brevis adjusted to the sun was unbelievable. Reeza is the most experienced, he had a couple of great catches in the last game. It's important to contribute in the field and it was amazing today.
To finish with the bonus point was quite important and to finish in the top 2 is massive. The one point makes a huge difference, the way batted gave us a huge push. To be honest, we had tough couple of years as a team and as soon as we came together this season, our focus was to enjoy and play together. The sooner we forget the past, the better the result will be. The beauty this year is that everyone is taking responsibility and everyone is contributing.
The crowd this year has also given us extra energy in the field. Thanks to everyone for coming in numbers and supporting us from the start."
Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape): "Yeah another one unfortunately. Again you got to give credit to the Mumbai team or the Cape Town team as they played really well. They put us under pressure initially and we struggled to get back in the game. We have to get this out of the way and focus on our next game.
I mean you never want to give excuses. We always want to get better and put pressure on the bowlers in better ways. The wicket was a bit two-paced but I don't think it was that bad.
We have our last game at home and it's a big game, so we want to win that one for us to get things right. Yeah it is always nice to play out here. We are looking forward to that game and hopefully we can come out with a victory."
Corbin Bosch (Player of the Match): "I'll be honest, it was just one of those days where it all went well. Super grateful and Brevis with a magnificent catch too. The crowd has been incredible, I've heard it's been 4 sold out games at Newlands, so I'm happy to put on a performance for them. We just stuck to our plans, nothing different, just stuck to our plans and executed them well."
Player of the Match: Corbin Bosch
Time for the Post-Match Presentation!
11:38 PM IST & 8:08 PM Local Time| That's the end of the contest! A dominant performance from MI Cape Town. They have absolutely outplayed the Sunrisers in a one-sided affair and sealed their spot in the playoffs in style. Clinical with both bat and ball, they never gave the opposition a chance. A statement win for the Rashid Khan-led side as the tournament heads into its business end. A 10-wicket win for MICT against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape!
MI Cape Townâs decision to bowl first on a used surface paid off brilliantly. Rashid Khanâs men came in with a clear plan, and the early breakthroughs set the tone. Sunrisersâ changes didnât work in their favor, as debutant Tony de Zorzi fell cheaply, followed by Tom Abell, leaving them in trouble inside the powerplay. With the pressure mounting, MICT tightened the screws, making run-scoring incredibly tough.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape once again crumbled under pressure, losing wickets in clusters for the second game in a row. David Bedingham fought a lone battle with a hard-fought 45 off 45 but found no support from the other end.
Debutant Andile Simelane chipped in with 21 off 22, helping the Sunrisers crawl past the 100-run mark. But overall, it was a forgettable outing with the bat as MI Cape Townâs bowlers completely dominated the innings.
Corbin Bosch was the star with the ball for MI Cape Town, delivering a sensational spell of 4/19 in just 3.2 overs. He ripped through the Sunrisersâ batting lineup. Kagiso Rabada was equally impressive, finishing with figures of 2/14. The Sunrisers Eastern Cape crumbled under relentless pressure and were eventually bowled out for a modest 107 in 19.2 overs.
What a ruthless display from MI Cape Town! Their openers, Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, made a mockery of the chase, blasting their way to a commanding 10-wicket victory. From the very first ball, they dominated the Sunrisers Eastern Cape bowling attack, stitching together their third 100-run opening stand.
Rickelton remained unbeaten on 59* off 36 balls, while van der Dussen finished just short of his fifty on 48* off 30. The chase was wrapped up in just 11 overs, highlighting the gulf between the two sides. MICT not only crushed the Sunrisers but also secured their playoff spot in emphatic fashion. Stay tuned for the Post-Match Presentation!