Pretoria Capitals host MI Cape Town in the 27th match of the 2025 SA20. The Capitals head into this encounter with their playoff hopes very well alive, while MI Cape Town are high on confidence heading into their own playoff campaign.
2025 SA20 – Game 27
Pretoria Capitals v MI Cape Town
Friday 31 January 2025 – 17:30
SuperSport Park
The Capitals have struggled for form and consistency all season. They started the SA20 2025 with a new coach and a new captain and no matter what they tried, nothing seemed to work. But that changed on Monday in what was a do-or-die encounter against neighbours JSK.
Knowing anything but a win would end their hopes of making the playoffs, the Capitals made some bold changes as they brought some of their younger players in. They duly delivered their best performance and head into Friday’s encounter with their play-off hopes very much alive.
MI Cape Town won their last game, against SEC, by a 10-wicket margin. They are qualified for the playoffs and are uncatchable in second place. They could yet finish first, but they can’t go lower.
To Win Match
Pretoria Capitals 27/20 | Tie 25/1 | MI Cape Town 61/100
In the context of SA20, SuperSport Park is a high-scoring venue. It holds the record for the tournament’s highest-ever score (254 for four by DSG in 2023), the highest total by a side batting second (214 for eight by PC v MICT in 2024) and the highest individual score (116* by Kyle Verreynne for PC in 2024). Expect runs to flow again on Friday.
In recent games, the side batting second at SuperSport Park has fared the best with the chasing side winning 71% of games. It looks likely that whoever wins the toss will look to field first.
In a curious quirk of scheduling these teams each have two more games to play, and they will bring the pool stage of the tournament to a close with back-to-back encounters against each other. In previous seasons these sides have faced each other four times with Pretoria winning three times and MICT once.
Pretoria Capitals v MI Cape Town | SA20 Game 27 | Friday 31 January 2025 | SuperSport Park, Pretoria | 17:30
Pretoria Capitals
With nothing to lose last time out the Capitals threw caution to the wind and gave their youngsters a chance. It worked out superbly and the goal now will be to convert one win into two and two into three. It won’t be easy with back-to-back encounters against the side that is probably the best-balanced and settled team in the competition.
Capitals with nothing to lose against formidable foe
Against JSK the capitals made five changes – Will Smeed, Tom Rogers, Gideon Peters, Migael Pretorius and Ashton Turner all got turns. “We just gotta look to try and make the most of these next three games like you said it’s sort of our last chance to learn. We’ve just got to try and go have fun and make the most of it. Trying to freshen it up,” said Verreynne after the toss against JSK.
Skipper Rilee Rossouw didn’t play against the Joburg Super Kings. He was absent because his wife was giving birth, but he may well have been dropped anyway as he has struggled hugely thus far. Rossouw has scored just 32 runs all season at an average of 5.33
Senuran Muthusamy shining light for Capitals
Senuran Muthusamy has been the Capitals best-performing bowler with eight wickets at an average of 16.75. It hasn’t been a great season for the Pretoria side and Muthusamy is the only Pretoria player in the top ten of either batting or bowling rankings.
Keep an eye out for Kyle Verreynne who seemed to be inspired by the captaincy last time out. He only scored 17 but he brought an energy and enthusiasm which had previously been lacking. He has a great record at SuperSport Park, is in reasonable form and is due a big score.
He was dropped last time out but Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz could well be back. He is a world-class batsman and although he has only scored 151 runs all tournament being left out against JSK could have been the wake-up call that he needed.
MI Cape Town
MI Cape Town won their last game, against SEC, by a 10-wicket margin. They are qualified for the playoffs and are uncatchable in second place. They could yet finish first, but they can’t go lower. Their current form is excellent, and they come into the game unbeaten in their last four games.
MICT opening batters in sensational form
The MICT opening batsmen are in great form. Rassie van der Dussen is the tournament’s second-highest scorer with 300 runs at an average of 60, while Ryan Rickelton is sixth on the list (having played three fewer games than Van der Dussen) with 237 runs at an average of 59.25. They bat very well together and, most importantly, they score quickly.
Reeza Hendricks who comes in third hasn’t had too much to do this season given the impressive form of the openers, but he is still the team’s third-highest scorer
The MICT bowling unit is very strong and they work well together as a team. They don’t have any bowlers in the tournament’s top ten bowlers, but they boast six bowlers who have taken five or more wickets, with the unit tending to share the scalps between themselves.
Delano Potgieter star factor for MICT
Delano Potgieter had a massive start to the tournament, and he has gone a little quiet since, but he is still there and shouldn’t be forgotten. He is averaging 7.6 with the ball and 101 with the bat – quite crazy numbers. He didn’t bat or bowl in the weekend win over DSG or in the romp of SEC – his lack of action is due to the outstanding form of the team and no reflection on his ability.
Dewald Brevis continues to be the ultimate team player. He bristles with energy and intent and while, by his high standards he has had a quiet time with the bat, He has nevertheless scored 127 runs at an average of 25.4.
What he has been, all tournament, is energetic and reliable. He has scored quick runs and played whatever role has been needed from him. He has been a finisher, he has been a bowler, he has been used to accelerate the run rate, and he has been a dynamo in the field – his one-handed catch against SEC to dismiss Tom Abell is probably the catch of the tournament.
Verdict: MI Cape Town
One swallow doesn’t make a summer and a win over JSK, last time out, no matter how convincing it was, doesn’t suddenly mean that the Capitals are a world-beating side. They lack the consistency, depth and form of MI Cape Town, who will surely climb to the top of the table on Friday.
