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Sunrisers eliminate MI Cape Town and cruise into top two

cricket18 January 2026 17:44| © MWP
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Half centuries from Quinton de Kock and Matthew Breetzke led the Sunrisers to a convincing seven-wicket victory in their final group match of the SA20 against the Mumbai Indians Cape Town at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday afternoon.

The result ensured the hosts of a top-two finish and eliminated the defending champions who had needed to win with a bonus point to have any chance of reaching the playoffs.

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Reeza Hendricks (70*) anchored MI Cape Town to a modest total of 148-6 after being asked to bat first but De Kock (56) and Breetzke (66) paced their innings perfectly to cross the line at 149-3 with a ball to spare.

Jonny Bairstow (10) departed early against Kagiso Rabada (1-31) but De Kock and Breetzke eschewed much of their naturally attacking instincts to ensure victory during a partnership of 109 in 15 overs.

Corbin Bosch (2-29) dismissed both men but by then MI Cape Town had been eliminated and it was just a question of whether the home side could win the game. Jordan Hermann (11*) ensured that they did.

Earlier George Linde provided some desperately needed fireworks in the middle order for MICT with four sixes in his 30 from 17 balls but the visitors were always battling to overcome a horrible start.

Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton are the most successful opening pair in the tournament’s history but it wasn’t their day with the former labouring to 21 from 24 balls and the latter struggling even more with just two runs from 10 deliveries.

Australian offspinner Chris Green (4-0-29-3) made light of an 18-hour journey from the Big Bash League in Sydney to remove both openers before adding the wicket of Linde courtesy of a brilliant, ‘step-over’ boundary catch by Tristan Stubbs.

Linde struck Green for three successive sixes before the bowler had his revenge with Linde attempting a fourth.

MICT captain, Nicholas Pooran (2), inside edged left-arm spinner James Hopes onto his stumps while Kieron Pollard (0) was bowled behind his legs by the excellent Marco Jansen (1-29) having failed to score from six balls.

Jason Smith struck a six and a four in his 14 from 10 balls but the defending champions showed all of the inconsistency which has seen them struggle this season and were indebted to veteran Hendricks (8x4, 1x6 from 44 balls) for a respectable rather than challenging total.

Tristan Stubbs, who won the toss and chose to bowl, unexpectedly found himself doing exactly that after Kiwi fast bowler, Adam Milne, limped out of the attack with a hamstring injury after just three balls.

Stubbs bowled impeccable off-spin to finish with creditable figures of 2.3-0-11-0.

The home side had already qualified for the playoffs but victory today guaranteed them a top-two finish and the comfort of an Eliminator Match should they lose the Qualifier.

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Tristan Stubbs (capt), Marco Jansen, Chris Green, Senuran Muthusamy, James Coles, Anrich Nortje, Adam Milne.

MI CAPE TOWN: Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Nicholas Pooran (capt), Kieron Pollard, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult.

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