Pretoria Capitals finally opened their account in SA20 2025 with a commanding 85-run victory over defending champions MI Cape Town, who remain winless after three matches. A blistering batting display followed by a ruthless bowling effort helped the Capitals climb off the bottom of the table, while MI Cape Town slumped to last place after another failed record chase.
Pretoria Capitals Power Past 220 After Explosive Finish
Asked to bat first, Pretoria Capitals recovered strongly from early trouble at 38 for 3 in the fifth over. Shai Hope and Wihan Lubbe steadied the innings with a crucial 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket, taking the score to 126 for 4 by the 15th over. Lubbe top-scored with a fluent 60, while Hope played a vital supporting role before both fell just before the death overs.
What followed was one of the most destructive finishes of the SA20 season. Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford added a stunning 84 runs off just 27 balls, smashing 72 runs in the final three overs. Brevis finally justified his big price tag with fearless strokeplay, while Rutherford’s clean hitting tore apart the MI Cape Town bowling. Despite Kagiso Rabada’s strong comeback spell of 2 for 48, dropped catches and poor execution at the death allowed Capitals to surge to a daunting 220 for 5.
MI Cape Town Collapse After Fast Start Seals Heavy Defeat
MI Cape Town began their chase positively and were actually ahead of the required rate at 100 for 2 in the ninth over, giving the home crowd hope of a record-breaking run chase. Ryan Rickelton rode his luck early, surviving multiple dropped chances before scoring 33, but once wickets began to fall, the innings unraveled quickly.
From 100 for 2, MI Cape Town collapsed spectacularly, losing 7 wickets for just 35 runs. Sherfane Rutherford starred again, this time with the ball, claiming 4 for 24 to cap an outstanding all-round performance. Keshav Maharaj also played a decisive role, picking up 3 for 28 and tightening the screws in the middle overs. MI Cape Town were bowled out for 135 in the 15th over, falling well short and conceding the full five points, including the bonus point.
