In a riveting showdown, the Paarl Royals thwarted MI Cape Town’s bid for a double victory, staging an impressive comeback just two days after suffering an eight-wicket defeat to Kieron Pollard’s squad on January 19.
Opting to bat first, the Royals showcased a formidable start as Jason Roy and Jos Buttler unleashed their firepower, notching up an impressive 60 runs in the PowerPlay. Despite MI Cape Town’s attempt to assert control with left-arm spinners George Linde and Thomas Kaber in the middle overs, the Royals managed to hold their ground, reaching 28 runs in five overs post PowerPlay without losing a wicket. Exploiting the moment Pollard rotated his bowlers, Roy and Buttler capitalized on the opportunity.
Seizing the initiative, they garnered 15 runs in the 12th over bowled by Pollard and added another 13 off Sam Curran’s bowling in the 13th over. Kaber, brought back into the attack by Pollard, made a breakthrough by dismissing Roy, who departed after a formidable 46-ball 69. Kaber concluded a brilliant spell, registering figures of 1 for 24 in 4 overs. Nuwan Thushara’s economical overs at the death restricted the Royals to 162 for 3, with Buttler contributing a solid 54 off 42.
The Royals’ left-arm spinner, Bjorn Fortuin, set the tone by opening the bowling and quickly dismantled MI Cape Town’s top order with the dismissals of Rassie van der Dussen and Dewald Brevis in the very first over. Obed McCoy further compounded the challenge by claiming the wicket of Ryan Rickelton in the fourth over.
MI Cape Town fought back through the middle-order trio of Connor Esterhuizen, Curran, and Liam Livingstone, but their efforts fell short. Tabraiz Shamsi and Lungi Ngidi applied the brakes, and Fortuin returned to dismiss Linde in the 15th over. MI Cape Town found themselves at 79 for 7, and despite Kaber’s brief resistance with a 12-ball 14, they were eventually bundled out for 103 in the 19th over, securing a resounding victory for the Paarl Royals.
Brief Scores:
Paarl Royals 162/3 in 20 overs (Jason Roy 69, Jos Buttler 54; Nuwan Thushara 2-27) beat MI Cape Town 103 in 18.2 overs (Connor Esterhuizen 32; Bjorn Fortuin 3-15, Tabraiz Shamsi 2-11, Obed McCoy 2-18, Lungi Ngidi 2-26) by 59 runs
