PC vs MICT

Sherfane Rutherford (POTM) :I want to thank for being given the opportunity to play in the SA20. I just trust my process, just give myself the best chance of getting in and then going about with the process. It was very important to run singles, get myself in, once the seamers came on, I could trust my skills and put them under pressure. I just backed my ability - the important thing is to be in the situation, sometimes you think you can take the game on, but you need to swallow your ego and think what your team needs at that moment. That's exactly what I was thinking about. I was thinking about 180, but he (Dewald Brevis) just told me not to think about it and wanted us to just take it as it comes.

Keshav Maharaj (PC Captain ) : Very happy, a disappointing start to our home leg, so happy with the emphatic win. At one stage, 150 looked fat away, but credit to Brevis and Sherfane. But we had power in the back-end and credit to Sherfane for the finish. We were happy to take around 160, but the way the guys played, it gave us a bit of a buffer. And then,we started well with the ball and took early wickets. It has been a crucial couple of weeks for us, we were a bit rusty at the start, but we went back to the basics and that has worked well for us. We too wanted to bowl, but the guys were positive and they said they'll do well with whatever the toss outcome would be".

Rashid Khan (MI Cape Town captain): "I think the way we started with the ball, we should have restricted them under 160. Whole tournament we have struggled at the death, today again and then you don't get the momentum for the next innings. We had them for the first 12-13 overs and then gave it away. It is a mix, we bowled some good deliveries and then some not so good. It also comes to the dropped catches, when you drop catches it gives the momentum to the opposition. We have lagged in our execution, specially in the last 3-4 overs, we did not stick to our strengths and did not bowl well specially to Rutherford. It is pretty hard in T20s sometimes, everyone is a professional who is trying to do their best but it doesn't happen sometimes. T20 does not give you time, don't have much time to think, just 24 balls to bowl in the right areas. One of those days when it does not go your way. We still have the abilites, last two games are very important for us, anything can happen in the table. We had in our minds that we need to win 4 out of the last 5 matches but we lost one of those games. You never know though if you win two games with bonus points, it takes you to 20 points and it could take you to top 2. That is the kind of mindset we want to have, we have those kind of players to do it. We just need to forget what happened. We are going to play the same opposition twice, SEC, I will back my boys."

MATCH SUMMARY 

Batting Highlights (Pretoria Capitals):
Sherfane Rutherford 53 (27) | Dewald Brevis 34 (19) | Connor Esterhuizen 24 (20) | Jordan Cox 24 (25)
Bowling Figures (Pretoria Capitals):
Gideon Peters 3/32 (4) | Keshav Maharaj 1/19 (4) | Andre Russell 1/20 (4)

Batting first, the Capitals recovered well after a few early wickets to post a strong total of 185/6. Connor Esterhuizen and Jordan Cox steadied the innings through the middle overs before Dewald Brevis injected momentum with a brisk counter-attacking knock. Sherfane Rutherford then took charge at the death, unleashing a powerful half-century to push the total beyond MI Cape Town’s reach.

In reply, MI Cape Town struggled to build partnerships against disciplined bowling. Reeza Hendricks stood firm with a composed unbeaten 68, but a lack of support at the other end saw the required rate climb steadily. Gideon Peters led the bowling effort with three crucial wickets, while Maharaj and Russell applied consistent pressure through the middle overs.

With wickets falling regularly and the chase losing momentum, MI Cape Town were restricted to 132/7, handing Pretoria Capitals a comprehensive 53-run victory.

19.6 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, FOUR MORE but it does not matter. Pretoria Capitals win by 53 runs to complete a hat-trick of wins, they take the bonus point as well and they are now the table-toppers with 20 points in 8 games just above SEC who have played one less game. Was an attempted yorker at the leg stump, ended up as a low full toss, whipped fine past short fine and that concludes the proceedings here in Centurion.

19.5 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, SMOKED! Low full toss, Reeza stays inside the crease and pummels it for a 90-m maximum over square leg.

19.4 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, TOP EDGE AND FOUR. Reeza getting some runs that will not make any difference. Swings across the line, was on a short of a length and takes the top edge to go over the keeper. One bounce and four

19.3 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, full at the leg stump this time, clipped sweetly but straight to the man at deep backward square leg. No run again

19.2 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, Maharaj puts it down, puts up a hand of apology straightaway. Skewed off the outer half of the bat as Reeza trrie to execute the same shot, Maharaj got to it at cover, grasped it but then it popped out

19.1 Lizaad Williams to Reeza Hendricks, round the wicket, full and angling away from Reeza, he moves across a touch and looks to go over the off side. Misses

18.6 Lungisani Ngidi to Kagiso Rabada, another slowie spinning away from Rabada on the fuller side, once again he swings himself off his feet, no contact again

18.5 Lungisani Ngidi to Kagiso Rabada, full at the stumps, Rabada drills it back at Ngidi who sticks out his right boot and does well so because it prevents any run. Might have just hurt himself a bit there

18.4 Lungisani Ngidi to Kagiso Rabada, slower ball full outside off cutting away from Rabada, he has a huge hoick at it and might have accounted for a couple of flies with that because that is the only thing he is connecting with now

18.3 Lungisani Ngidi to Reeza Hendricks, yorker outside off, squeezed down to short third man. Now he takes the single on offer, surprising. Is that because he has got the fifty?

18.2 Lungisani Ngidi to Reeza Hendricks, BANG, fifty for Reeza Hendricks. Might have come too late but he is now striking them sweetly, has been the lone warrior for MICT but will he be happy with his innings? Gets another one in the slot and once again the whippage of wrists over square leg.

18.1 Lungisani Ngidi to Kagiso Rabada, full outside off, once again the front leg from Rabada goes across and he manages to squirtit down to long-on and bring Reeza back on strike