PC VS MICT MATCH 26

Right then, the day started with Joburg Super Kings in fourth position on the points table but MI Cape Town have equalled them on points and have even taken P4 off the Super Kings given their net run rate. Still, there is one spot left in the playoff and Pretoria Capitals are still in the hunt but their chances look bleak now. Next up is a clash between two qualified teams as Paarl Royals will take on Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Boland Park in Paarl. That game will be played on Friday, 2nd February and will begin at 9 pm IST (3.30 pm GMT) but our build-up will begin much sooner. Do join us then. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Kyle Verreynne is the Player of the Match for his magnificent ton and that is a rare sight to see as a player on the losing side has taken the award but such was the magnitude of that knock. He says that he is really enjoying his batting and it has been a special night for him. Tells that he has been working really hard on his batting and there's so much time in the T20 format, it's a rushed game and he focuses on to maintaining his strike rate. Says that it was a really good wicket and probably the best white ball track he has batted in his life. It's a nightmare for the bowlers. Keeps on saying that getting over 200 is nothing short of an achievement in a 250-run chase. He adds that they will surely take confidence from this as a batting unit and come back stronger in the next game against the same opposition.

The skipper of Pretoria Capitals, Kieron Pollard says that he is happy to get the win and to put on a total like that was amazing. Adds that he isn't happy with the method of the win but they did get over the line and he will take it going into the final game. Mentions that they have played a long tournament and they know what is required, so, execution needs to be better and the position the opposition was in, the game should have been finished sooner. Ends by saying that they simply need to win the final game and they have put themselves in this position by losing four on the trot.

Wayne Parnell, the captain of Pretoria Capitals says that at half time they felt that they had too many but looking at the wicket, it was chasable considering their batting line-up. Says that they lost 6 wickets on just 42 which gave them the upper hand. Adds that the Cape Town batters were hitting all out of the park and the ball was only sailing over the fence, for which he says they failed to bowl on correct lines and lengths. Adds that Kyle Verreynne prevented them from getting a bonus point and he was just hitting the ball over the fielders. Further says that they will come back with better plans. Mentions that Newlands is different from Centurion and it is more about staying in the zone and closing it well in the end. Adds that when you have 250 on the board to chase, three to four batters need to do well which didn't happen from their end. Ends up saying that every single game has been amazing.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, MI Cape Town won the toss and opted to bat first on a track that had plenty of runs in it and after a sedate start, Ryan Rickelton came into his own once again. Rassie van der Dussen too played a quick cameo but it was the young duo of Rickelton and Dewald Brevis that did most of the damage. Rickelton fell in the 90s yet again and Brevis just went on a rampage later in the innings. Skipper, Kieron Pollard got away a few lusty blows as well and took his side very close to the 250-run mark. With the ball, Will Jacks bowled brilliantly but the pacers went for plenty. Skipper, Wayne Parnell was smacked all over the ground but did pick up three wickets whereas Daryn Dupavillon got hit for an astonishing 73 runs in his four overs. Coming to the chase, it was all one-sided with Pretoria Capitals being 42/6 but Kyle Verreynne played a sensational knock which eventually, went in vain.

Pretoria Capitals will be gutted in the end and only if they had applied themselves better with the bat early on, things could have been different as toward the end, the margin of defeat was much less than expected. Will Jacks was on song right away as he smacked a four and 3 sixes in the first over but it all went downhill from the next over. Phil Salt fell and then Jacks too couldn't counter the heat from KG Rabada and the middle order just folded. They were 42/6 at one point before Kyle Verreynne and skipper Wayne Parnell stitched a 78-run stand. They lost a couple of more quick wickets but Verreynne played a gem of a knock as he cashed in towards the end and notched up a sensational ton and finished unbeaten on 116, the highest individual score in SA20 as well. Adil Rashid gave him good support and their stand too remained unbeaten on 85 at the end but unfortunately, they were so far back in the game, that it didn't matter much.

MI Cape Town had a colossal total on the board and all they needed were wickets upfront and that is exactly what they got but they were certainly rocked in the very first over when their best bowler George Linde was taken for 23 runs. This all changed as Sam Curran got a wicket in the second over and then Kagiso Rabada and Nuwan Thushara came in to do all the damage. Rabada bowled a lovely spell and got rid of the dangerous Will Jacks after which Thushara channeled his inner Lasith Malinga and nailed yorker after yorker at the stumps and cleaned up batters for fun. They did face some resistance in the middle overs but got a couple of more wickets. It was at the death though were they lost it with the ball in hand and leaked plenty of runs and although they won, it should have been all over much sooner.

462 runs, a stellar century and 32 maximums - a match that had it all but in the end, it is MI Cape Town who win a crunch encounter and take a big step toward sealing that crucial fourth place. Not quite a resounding victory in the end for MI Cape Town as they have thrown away that crucial bonus point but they do go level on points with Joburg Super Kings. Pretoria Capitals gave it their all but it was just too late but they are still alive in the competition.

FOUR! Full toss on the body, Kyle Verreynne pulls it well through deep square leg for a boundary. The Umpire checks for the waist height No Ball but the replay shows that the ball is below the waist on the shot. MI Cape Town beat Pretoria Capitals by 34 runs. But what a box-office entertainment we have witnessed here at SuperSport Park. Kyle Verreynne, the lone warrior remains unbeaten on 116 off just 52 rocks. He's the only centurion of the night but unfortunately, ends up on the other side of the aisle.

FOUR! Shot! Full and on off, Kyle Verreynne fires back over the bowler's head for a boundary straight down the ground. Four more!

SIX! Oh, my word! Goes wide and fuller outside off, Kyle Verreynne throws his hands at it and aerially hits it over deep backward point for a huge maximum.

Full and wide of off, Adil Rashid opens the face of the bat and hits it to sweeper cover for one.

Low, and a full toss, Kyle Verreynne flicks it to deep square leg for one.

SIX! There goes the bonus point for MI Cape Town and Kyle Verreynne reaches to his Hundred in style! On a shorter length outside off, Kyle Verreynne walks ahead and lifts it over the bowler's head like a tennis shot for a biggie. He has played like a lone warrior here. A well-deserved century.

Sam Curran to bowl the final over. MI Cape Town have been penalized for slow overrate and they will have an extra man in the ring. MI Cape Town are letting go of the bonus point that seemed to be in the bag just a few minutes earlier.

Low full toss outside off, Kyle Verreynne shuffles across off and hits it straight to mid off and sneaks a single to retain the strike. He moves to 95. Also, MI Cape Town need to restrict Pretoria Capitals to 198 or less to avoid giving them the bonus point.