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He SA20 2025 season started with a surprising result as defending champions Eastern Cape sunrise suffered a humiliating 97-run defeat against MY Cape Town in St George’s Park, Gqeberha. This was not just any defeat, but one that set several records, marking it as one of the most one-sided contests in the history of the tournament.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape batting collapse and record lows
Chasing a challenging target of 175, the Sunrisers’ batting line-up crumbled spectacularly, folding for just 77 runs in 15 overs. This marked their 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 tournament’s three-year history.
The collapse was led by Delano Potgieterwho bowled a dream spell, earning 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) and Tom Abel (0), which further dampened the Sunrisers’ hopes early in the chase.
MI Cape Town’s recovery and its key contributions
MI Cape Town showed resilience after a shaky start to their innings, recovering from 42/3 in the powerplay to post a formidable total of 174/7. The recovery was based on the always reliable Dewald Breviswho scored a well-compiled 57, leading the innings with composure and attacking intent. Their efforts were complemented by useful contributions from the middle order, ensuring the team had a defendable total on the board.
For the Sunrisers, the players put in a commendable effort early in the innings, with Richard Gleeson picking up on 2/22 and Liam Dawson providing financial support with 1/32 figures. However, a failure to capitalize on their early gains proved costly as Cape Town’s batsmen managed to get back into the game.
READ ALSO: Delano Potgieter wreaks havoc as MI Cape Town crush Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 2025 opener
SA20’s unique points system
The resounding margin of victory not only earned MI Cape Town the standard four points for a win, but also an extra point, bringing their tally to five points. This unique feature of SA20, introduced in its inaugural season in 2023, rewards teams that dominate their opponents by achieving a run rate 1.25 times the run rate of their opponents. The bonus points system incentivizes aggressive cricket and ensures teams aim for comprehensive victories, making each match more competitive.
In the event of a tie or no result, both teams receive two points each, while the losing team receives no points. Unlike other T20 leagues, where wins generate a uniform number of points, SA20’s bonus points system adds an extra layer of strategy and competition. For MI Cape Town, this bonus point win is a testament to their outstanding performance, and for the 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 opponent, first one-sided match in 3 seasons.
—Harishwar Reddy (@ReddyMnc16) January 9, 2025
