The moment MI Cape Town had dreamt of when the season began has finally arrived. Rashid Khan walks up to the podium where his teammates eagerly await him. With a smile of triumph, Rashid takes hold of the coveted trophy, which is handed over to him by a dignitary. As he lifts the trophy high, the fireworks go off, lighting up the sky. The men draped in blue and gold leap in joy, their faces lit with pure elation. With this, the exhilarating journey of the 3rd edition of the SA20 League here in the Rainbow Nation has come to an end. The party will go long into the night for Cape Town, but it's now time for us to bid adieu. Until next time, take care and goodbye!
It is now time for the players of the newly crowned champions, MI Cape Town, to walk up to the podium to receive their winner's medals. Rashid Khan, with a beaming smile, steps forward to collect his medal. Afterwards, he joins us for a quick chat. Rashid says they played really well this season and coming on the back of two disappointing seasons was special and says as a team they deserve this trophy. Mentions that throughout the season, the players have only thought of playing for the team and nobody looked at personal milestones which is why they did so well. Appreciates the bowling unit and says he really enjoyed playing with them who make his job very easy. Says he was very excited to lead this team this season and to be a part of the MI family is very overwhelming as they have been the most successful franchise all across.
Next up, the players of Sunrisers Eastern Cape are called up to receive their runners-up medals. Last but not least, it's their skipper, Aiden Markram, who walks up to receive his medal. Markram says that they tried hard and credits MI for the way they batted but also says their bowlers did well later in the inning. Mentions that the Powerplay while chasing didn't go as they would have liked it to and then on they were playing catch-up. Says there was no pressure of winning three titles on the trot but they just wanted to enjoy. Congratulates MI for being so consistent and says they deserved it.
Marco Jansen is adjudged the PLAYER OF THE SERIES. He is also the recipient of the BOWLER OF THE SEASON award for picking 19 wickets. Jansen expresses his gratitude for the opportunities he received throughout the season. Tells that every time the team needed a breakthrough, the bowlers stepped up and adapted to the situation. Reflecting on his own development, he mentions that he tries to learn from the top-order batters during net sessions and acknowledges the invaluable support from his teammates, particularly Stubbs and Markram, who have been more than willing to help him refine his technique and improve as a player.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius of Paarl Royals receives the BATTER OF THE SEASON award for scoring 397 runs. He says that he is happy to have scored a few runs and contributed to the team. Mentions that he was nervous to perform and has been a defensive player initially but he has been backed by the coaches to be aggressive which is coming good for him and he will stick to it.
Dewald Brevis is awarded the Rising Star of the Season for his exceptional performances throughout the tournament. Brevis expresses his gratitude for the award, mentioning how last season was a roller coaster ride. He is thrilled to start this season on a high note and emphasizes that he will do whatever he can to contribute to the team in all three facets of the game.
MI Cape Town are the recipient of the Spirit of Cricket Award for their exemplary conduct throughout the tournament and for upholding the true spirit of the game. Head coach Robin Peterson collects the award on behalf of the team. Robin says the guys in the team enjoyed each other's company and this has been an amazing campaign where they all gelled well. Mentions that all the players have a lot of values in place and to get a Spirit of Cricket award is totally because of them. Adds that the team environment was great which showed in the way they performed as well.
Next up, the match officials of the final are called upon and are honoured with mementoes for their dedicated efforts.
Trent Boult is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his outstanding bowling performance, finishing with remarkable figures of 2 for 9 from his 4 overs. He acknowledges the great job done by the batters but emphasises that the game was far from being done at the halfway mark. Boult expresses his satisfaction with how the bowlers performed and is thrilled with the win. Tells that South Africa is a great place to play and adds that it was great to bowl on a wicket that offered something for the bowlers.
Time for the presentation ceremony...
Kagiso Rabada joins in for the interview. He says that it was a big game for them, especially considering the past couple of seasons. Shares that he felt that the total they set was just above par and credits Rashid Khan and George Linde for doing the hard yards with the ball in the middle phase. Mentions how much the league meant to him and to the team. Thanks the fans for their amazing support throughout the tournament.
Dewald Brevis says that he was very excited heading into the final. Mentions that he backed himself against the spin and trusted his training. Adds that he is grateful that it came off and that he was able to contribute to the team’s success.
Corbin Bosch is up next. Says that he is absolutely over the moon with the win. Expresses his pride in being part of the franchise and shares that he was given the responsibility of nailing overs at the death. He thanks the MI fans for their unwavering support throughout the tournament.
Trent Boult says it's very special and appreciates the way the boys turned up in the big game after a consistent run. Mentions that the team was welcoming, the spirits in the camp were very high and he loved being part of it all. Concludes that Cricket in South Africa has been great and he looks forward to coming back soon.
Rassie van der Dussen, the leading run-scorer for MI Cape Town, says having played well throughout the tournament they knew they needed just one more good start at the top. Mentions that it was important to assess the conditions quickly and his partnerships with Ryan Rickelton have been about complimenting each other. Concludes that their top 4 were very confident playing at this venue and appreciates the support they got.
Ryan Rickelton is in for a chat too. He says it's been a great tournament for them and the learning from the past two years came right this time. Lauds the support they got from the crowd and also appreciates the coaching staff whose hard work stays behind the curtains.
Rashid Khan, the skipper of MI Cape Town is down for a quick chat. He says it feels great to come back after two disappointing seasons and win the trophy. Mentions that those few words exchanged in the middle gave him a bit more energy and was exactly what he needed to make an impact with his bowling.
Let's hear from a few of the players of MI Cape Town...
Earlier, the flip of the coin went MI Cape Town’s way, and their innings ebbed and flowed. Ryan Rickelton provided a blazing start before the Sunrisers hit back with three quick wickets. Then came the Dewald Brevis onslaught, and with the way he was striking the ball, Cape Town seemed destined for a much bigger total. However, his dismissal allowed SEC to pull things back, though a couple of late blows from Kagiso Rabada helped MICT finish at 181.
As they say, batters win you games, but bowlers win you tournaments - and that’s exactly how it turned out for Cape Town on the night of the final. Sunrisers were never allowed to break free in the chase. After a sluggish start, Tony de Zorzi showed glimpses of clicking into gear, but the arrival of Rashid Khan sent him packing. Rashid, alongside George Linde, cranked up the pressure, and the required run rate shot up to close to 16, with SEC needing 94 from 36 balls. That’s when Boult was brought back into the attack, and he didn’t disappoint, removing Stubbs. If there was any sliver of hope left for SEC, it was quickly dashed by Rabada, who removed Jansen, effectively sealing the deal.