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The SA20 2025 season started with a surprising result as the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape suffered a humiliating defeat against 97 runs MI Cape Town in Sant Jordi Park, Gqeberha. This was not just an ordinary loss, but recorded several records, marking it as one of the most one-sided contests in the history of the tournament.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s batting collapse and all-time lows
Chasing a challenging target of 175, Sunrisers’ batting line-up collapsed dramatically, folding for just 77 runs in 15 overs. This marked the lowest total in SA20 history, surpassing their previous low of 122/9 against Pretoria Capitals in the 2024 season. It also became the second lowest team total in the three-year history of the tournament
The collapse was led by Delano Potgieterwho bowled a dream spell, taking a sensational 5/10, the second best bowling figures in SA20 history, leaving the Sunrisers in tatters. only Aiden Markram showed some resilience with a modest 19 runs, while the rest of the batting order failed to cross double digits. Trent Boult added to the misery with a fiery spell of 2/16, including back-to-back dismissals from the English duo Zak Crawley (12) i Tom Abell (0), further dampens Sunrisers’ hopes early in the chase.
Recovery of MI Cape Town and key contributions
MI Cape Town showed resilience after a shaky start to their innings, recovering from 42/3 inside the powerplay to post a formidable total of 174/7. The recovery was anchored by the ever-reliable Dewald Breviswho scored a well-compiled 57, leading the innings with composure and attacking intent. His effort was complemented by useful contributions from the middle order, ensuring the team had a defendable total on the board.
For the Sunrisers, the bowlers put in a commendable effort early in the innings, with Richard Gleeson collecting on 2/22 and Liam Dawson providing financial support with figures of 1/32. However, an inability to capitalize on their early breakthroughs proved costly as the Cape Town batsmen clawed their way back into the game.
READ also: Delano Potgieter wreaks havoc as MI Cape Town crush Eastern Cape Sunrisers in SA20 2025 opener
SA20’s unique point system
The emphatic margin of victory not only earned MI Cape Town the standard four points for a win, but also a bonus point, taking their tally to five points. This unique SA20 feature, introduced in its inaugural season in 2023, rewards teams that dominate their opposition by achieving a run rate 1.25 times that of their opponents. The bonus point system encourages aggressive cricket and ensures teams aim for outright wins, making every match more competitive.
In the event of a tie or no result, both teams receive two points each, while the losing team will receive no points. Unlike other T20 leagues, where wins give a uniform number of points, SA20’s bonus point system adds an extra layer of strategy and competition. For MI Cape Town, this bonus point win is testament to their dominant performance, and for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, it marks a new low as they conceded a bonus point for the first time in three seasons, highlighting the extent of his defeat.
First time in 3 seasons Sunrisers Eastern Cape conceded a bonus point to the opposition, first one sided game in 3 seasons.
— Harishwar Reddy (@ReddyMnc16) January 9, 2025
