MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants will contest the 16th match of this season’s SA20. Durban and Cape Town currently occupy second and fourth position, respectively, on the six-team points table.
MI Cape Town
MI Cape Town have played five matches in this year’s SA20 so far and haven’t yet won two in a row. Each victory has been followed by defeat or vice versa. Here is their opportunity to change that pattern after beating the Paarl Royals late last week.
Opener Ryan Rickelton has been their standout performer with the bat. He struck four consecutive half-centuries against the Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Royals. The last time he faced Durban, Rickelton hit a match-winning 87.
MI Cape Town have empowered a real gem in wrist-spinner Thomas Kaber. Captain Kieron Pollard has publicly backed Kaber, who is becoming the find of the tournament. Kaber has been playing domestic cricket for an extended period and, if not Tabraiz Shamsi, is the best left-arm wrist spinner in South Africa.
Kaber, like fast bowlers Olly Stone and Kagiso Rabada, have been MI Cape Town’s most successful bowlers this SA20 season. Each have taken four wickets. But Kaber’s average is under 15 and economy rate under seven – outstanding numbers, indeed.
Durban’s Super Giants
Durban’s Super Giants enjoyed an unbeaten start to the tournament on the back of three consecutive wins over Cape Town, the Eastern Cape and Joburg. But they have since slipped to successive defeats against the Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers. They’ll want to get back on course here.
This could be their cue to draft Proteas batter Tony de Zorzi into the XI. He joined the squad shortly before the start of the tournament, but has not played yet. De Zorzi might replace all-rounder Jon-Jon Smuts, who failed with the bat and was hardly used with the ball in Durban’s most recent match.
England seamer Reece Topley is Durban’s top wicket-taker this season. He has snared eight in five matches and is one of the best left-arm seamers on display in the 2024 SA20. Local duo Keshav Maharaj and Dwaine Pretorius have given Topley good support with the ball.
This match will be a good test of Maharaj’s captaincy. There were fewer doubters after Durban’s three wins in a row, but now more questions will be asked of the man who succeeded Quinton de Kock at the helm of the Super Giants in the SA20. Let’s see how this continues to play out.
