Sunrisers surge into SA20 top spot as MI Cape Town's title defence ends

With MI Cape Town needing a bonus-point victory to stay alive, the pressure was evident from the outset after they were sent in to bat. Early momentum never truly materialised as the Sunrisers' bowlers struck regularly, leaving the visitors scrambling to recover. Reeza Hendricks stood firm amid the collapse, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 70, but support was limited and MI Cape Town were restricted to 148 for six.

Australian off-spinner Chris Green was central to that effort, making an immediate impact despite arriving from the Big Bash League less than two days earlier. He removed both prolific openers, Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, before dismissing George Linde to finish with figures of 3 for 29. Marco Jansen added to MI Cape Town's woes by clean bowling Kieron Pollard for a six-ball duck, underlining the inconsistency that has plagued their campaign.

The Sunrisers were briefly disrupted when Adam Milne limped off after just three deliveries, but captain Tristan Stubbs adapted well, plugging the gap with tidy off-spin and smart field placements. Even with a few missed chances, the home side ensured MI Cape Town never gained the momentum required for a match-winning total.

Chasing 149, Sunrisers lost Jonny Bairstow early, but any nerves were quickly settled by a measured second-wicket partnership between Quinton de Kock and Matthew Breetzke. Showing restraint rather than their usual aggression, the pair steadily dismantled the target, adding 109 runs and keeping the required rate firmly under control.

De Kock's 56 set the tempo before he fell late in the chase, while Breetzke impressed with a fluent 66, highlighting his range with crisp stroke play through the off side. Although Corbin Bosch removed both batters in the closing overs, the outcome was already beyond doubt. Jordan Hermann calmly struck the winning boundary with one ball remaining to spark celebrations among the home crowd.

The victory lifts Sunrisers Eastern Cape back to the top of the standings, guaranteeing them a place in the qualifiers and the safety net that comes with a top-two finish. For MI Cape Town, however, the defeat confirmed a disappointing campaign, with six losses consigning the champions to the bottom of the table and an early exit from the play-off race.

READ MORE: Black Caps survive Virat Kohli heroics to make history in India