For the star-studded team from the Mother City, it was a huge occasion at the sold-out St George’s Park as it marked the first time in the competition’s history that they managed to beat the back-to-back defending champions.

Cape Town batted first and posted 174/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Titans cricket sensation Dewald Brevis put the visiting team in a strong position with the bat, smashing 57 off 29 balls, including 6 sixes and 2 fours. Delano Potgieter scored an unbeaten 25, while the in-form Proteas all-rounder George Linde contributed an unbeaten 23.

Dewald Brevis. Photo: Cricinfo

England’s Richard Gleeson was the pick of the Sunrisers bowlers with figures of 2/22 in his four overs, while Proteas left-arm seamer Marco Jansen took 2/38.

The former North West Dragons all-rounder Potgieter then delivered a career-best bowling performance, taking 5/10 in 3 overs as the Sunrisers were bowled out for a mere 77 runs in 15 overs. This included tanking three wickets in the 11th over when he dismissed Beyers Swanepoel, David Bedingham, and Aiden Markram. 

The legendary New Zealand left-arm seamer Trent Boult, in turn, set the tone early, removing the English duo of Zak Crawley and Tom Abell with consecutive balls in the third over. Boult finished with impressive figures of 2/16 in 3 overs.

Sunrisers’ regular captain, Markram, top-scored for the home team with 19 before being dismissed by Potgieter. Jansen, in turn, managed to score 14 before being run out by MI Cape Town and Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.

Following the match, Potgieter reflected on his man-of-the-match performance, saying he focused on keeping things simple with the ball.

“Standing at the top of my mark, I just said, ‘I'm going to try to hit the top of the stumps,’ and fortunately for me, it worked out perfectly,” said Potgieter.

Delano Potgieter celebrates three wickets in one over - Cricinfo

“I’m truly happy about it – it’s the first time I’ve bowled for MI Cape Town in three seasons, so I couldn’t ask for a better day for it.

“I’m just happy I got the opportunity today and used it to the best of my ability. For me, I always feel that if whatever I do first comes off nicely, I gain a lot more confidence going into the other skills during the match.”

On Saturday at 17:30, the Joburg Super Kings will face MI Cape Town at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. On Friday at 17:30, the 2024 runners-up, the Durban Super Giants, will take on the Pretoria Capitals at Kingsmead.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg