NEW DELHI: MI Cape Town (MICT) kicked off their SA20 campaign with a commanding 97-run victory over defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) in Gqeberha on Thursday, driven by a masterful performance from Trent Boult.
The Kiwi pacer demonstrated his class with a fiery double-wicket maiden, setting the stage for a clinical all-round performance by MICT.
The turning point came in the second over of SEC’s innings. Bowling around the wicket, he delivered a gem to Zak Crawley, who attempted an ambitious slog across the line. The ball stayed low and darted sharply in, sneaking under the bat to crash into the off-stump. Boult celebrated with his trademark intensity as Crawley departed for 12.
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Boult didn’t stop there. On the very next ball, he sent Tom Abell back for a golden duck with a stunning caught-and-bowled dismissal.
A full delivery around the middle prompted Abell to drive straight back, but Boult’s lightning reflexes and reverse-cup technique secured a sharp return catch.
Two wickets in two balls left SEC reeling, with no answers to Boult’s precision and movement.
“Without giving away all my secrets, it’s generally a simple plan,” Boult quipped after the match. “I like to pitch the ball up and swing the ball around. Someone told me that this was my first-ever T20 game in South Africa, which makes sense. But yeah, it’s a great place to bowl. There was a little bit of swing this afternoon.”
Boult’s brilliance, combined with Dewald Brevis’s explosive 57 off 29 balls and Delano Potgieter’s all-round heroics (25 not out with the bat and 5/10 with the ball), propelled MICT to a dominating win.
SEC faltered in their chase of 175, bowled out for just 77, as no batter crossed the 20-run mark.
“For MI Cape Town, it’s obviously a great start to the tournament, so hopefully, this kicks us in the right direction, and there’s plenty more to come,” Boult added.
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