KAGISO Rabada leading MI Cape Town in celebration of their maiden SA20 League title. Sportzpics
MI Cape Town broke the Sunrisers Eastern Cape's stranglehold on the SA20 League trophy when they romped to victory in the 2025 final at the Wanderers on Saturday night.
IOL Sport's Ongama Gcwabe looks at the five key factors that contributed to Robin Peterson side's triumph in the showpiece match of the tournament.
Kagiso Rabada
Having been in good touch with the new ball throughout the season, Kagiso Rabada produced his best performance of the season in the final.
Right from the first ball, the 29-year-old found his rhythm, was bowling good pace and looked in total control with ball in hand.
The fast bowler returned figures of 4/25 and led MI Cape Town to their first-ever SA20 trophy at his home ground at the Wanderers Stadium.
Game-changer
Having reduced the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to 68/4 by the 11th over, MI Cape Town was clearly ahead of the game.
However, with Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs at the crease, 114 runs in the last nine overs was still a possibility.
That made Markram's wicket the most prized on the night.
Slow left-arm orthodox Goerge Linde accounted for the right-handed batter.
Looking to access the extra cover boundary, Markram was beaten by the away turn from Linde and could only slice the ball to Kagiso Rabada at point, handing MI Cape Town their fifth wicket.
Ball
To dismiss an in-form Rassie van der Dussen, Sunrisers Eastern Cape slow left-arm orthodox Liam Dawson delivered a peach of a delivery. Having taken a few steps down the wicket looking to hit the spinner down the ground, Van der Dussen was beaten by the flight of the ball and the spin, missing the ball completely with wicket-keeper Tristan Stubbs stumping him out to hand the Sunrisers an important wicket just outside the first powerplay.
Shot
This season, Tony de Zorzi has been executing the pull shot to perfection. On Saturday evening, the left-handed batter executed his best of the season, hitting a shot ball from fast bowler Corbin Bosch for a 105m six to get himself into the game after struggling to get off the mark early on in his innings.
Performance
Sunrisers Eastern Cape fast bowler, Richard Gleeson, put on an impressive performance against a strong MI Cape Town batting order. The fast bowler delivered 12 dot balls in his four-over spell, claimed the wickets of Reeza Hendricks for a duck and Rashid Khan and returned sparkling figures of 2/20.
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