The top two teams after the SA20 league stage, MI Cape Town and the Paarl Royals, will meet in the first playoff qualifier at St George’s Park on Tuesday.
The two Western Cape sides both won seven out of 10 matches, which included historic five-match unbeaten streaks at home, to earn the first chance to reach the final.
The Royals will be missing one half of their own potent opening combination with former England captain Joe Root having departed for international duty last week.
However, Teenage starlet Lhuan-dre Pretorius remains a formidable force in the powerplay, while the Royals have been boosted by the return of their captain, David Miller, who missed the last two matches due to injury.
“Yeah, it’s feeling good. I took a week off and have done a fitness test and it seems to be going well. We’ll see how we pull up tomorrow [Tuesday] morning,” Miller said.
“I think it’s fair to say that you can’t really replace someone like Root – his calibre and what he’s achieved in this competition and given us – but I truly believe that we’ve got a squad that is very adaptable. I’ve spoken all season about that.
“The guys coming in are super, super positive and really skillful as well. [Australian] Mitch Owen [who replaced Root] gives us the power up front and he can bowl as well. So really chuffed with his addition.”
Miller’s team were the first to qualify for the playoffs, but MI Cape Town have hit a purple patch heading into Tuesday’s qualifier.
The Royals skipper says his team has accepted the challenge.
“Yeah, they seem to be on fire, but it’s a great opportunity for us to knock them off [their perch]. They’re a phenomenal team and have got a lot of match winners in their team.
“But I truly believe in T20 it’s about really seizing the moments and it takes just one or two guys to really stand up.”
While the Royals have progressed to the playoffs every season since the competition’s inception, this will be MI Cape Town’s first appearance after two poor seasons.
They will once again be reliant on their in-form top order of Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks to lay the platform before the explosive hitters consisting of Dewald Brevis, George Linde and Delano Potgieter take strike.
Their charge will be led by their impressive captain Rashid Khan, who fully embraced the Newlands faithful this season.
“We haven’t had many wins in the first two years for them – only three out of 10 games – but this year, we had five out of five,” he said. “The way they came out and supported the team was amazing and beautiful. It gives us as a team so much energy inside the field.
“We are looking forward to giving them the trophy this year.”
Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics
