In a match repeatedly interrupted by unseasonal weather, MI Cape Town finally broke their duck in the SA20 league with a nail-biting four-wicket victory over the Joburg Super Kings at Newlands on Tuesday. The home side, chasing a revised target of 128 in a rain-curtailed 12-over contest, sealed the win with four balls to spare, sending the patient Newlands crowd into raptures.
Pooran's Pyrotechnics Light Up Newlands
The chase was ignited by a spectacular cameo from West Indies powerhouse Nicholas Pooran. In a breathtaking display of clean hitting, Pooran smashed five enormous sixes in a whirlwind innings of 33 runs. The highlight was a monstrous strike off Richard Gleeson that sailed onto the top tier of the Members’ Stand, a shot that will be replayed for days to come. His dismissal offered JSK a glimmer of hope, but the momentum was firmly with the hosts.
Van der Dussen's Composure and Smith's Final Flourish
While Pooran provided the fireworks, it was Rassie van der Dussen who provided the crucial backbone to the innings. The South African batsman played a calm and collected knock, scoring 35 runs off 24 balls, including three sixes, to keep the required rate in check. The finishing touches were applied by Jason Smith, whose blistering 22 off just six deliveries brought MI Cape Town to the brink of victory, allowing Karim Janat to calmly hit the winning runs.
Du Plessis's Blitz and Rain's Cruel Interruption
Earlier, after a one-hour rain delay at the start, Joburg Super Kings were put in to bat. Skipper Faf du Plessis came out all guns blazing, treating the crowd to a masterclass in power-hitting. He took apart Kagiso Rabada's bowling, hammering four consecutive boundaries in one over. Alongside James Vince (15), Du Plessis propelled JSK to a brisk start, reaching 69/2 before another heavy downpour forced a 75-minute stoppage.
The break proved disastrous for the visitors. Du Plessis, looking set for a big score on 44 off 21 balls, fell almost immediately after play resumed. MI Cape Town's bowlers, led by the effective Corbin Bosch (3/24) and the ever-reliable Rashid Khan (2/23), applied tremendous pressure in the shortened format. Only Matthew de Villiers (21) offered late resistance as JSK finished their 12 overs on 123 for 7, a total that ultimately fell just short.
The win provides a vital boost to MI Cape Town's campaign in the SA20, while the Joburg Super Kings will rue the weather interruptions that disrupted their early flow. The match will be remembered for its dramatic twists, the explosive batting of Pooran and Du Plessis, and a tense finish under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
