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Announcements, done. Retentions, done. Auction, done. It’s ticket time!&nbsp;The SA20 season 2 is all set to start on January 10, 2024, and with just under three months to go for it, pre-sale registrations are now open for fans to skip the rush when general tickets to all round-robin matches officially go on sale on November 2, 2023. Here’s everything you need to know:Pre-sale: October 30, 2023 to November 1, 2023&nbsp;Where: <a href="https://login.sa20.co.za/">https://login.sa20.co.za/</a>Official ticket launch: November 2, 2023&nbsp;Season starts: January 10, 2024&nbsp;MI Cape Town’s campaign kicks off on January 11 in an away fixture against Durban’s Supergiants. For the first match at each of the six venues, 20,000 tickets would be sold for just R20. So gear up, jump the queue, REGISTER NOW, and bring out your Blue and Gold!&nbsp;

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Pre-sale registration for SA20 season 2 tickets open 

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It's here. Our batch of 2024 set to take the second season of the SA20 by storm is here. After retentions, wild card signings, the auction, and the Rookie draft, MI Cape Town's 19-member squad is officially here. Also, there's a surprise.&nbsp;Our very own MI legend, who's won eight titles for the MI Family over the last fourteen years, and someone who's right at the core of this franchise, is all set to light up South Africa in the first leg now. KIERON POLLARD, welcome, welcome! With Rashid Khan unavailable for the first three games, Polly is set to fill in.&nbsp;We present to you, MI CT, 2024 ..&nbsp;<figure class="table" style="width:226pt;"><table><tbody><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;width:109pt;">Player</td><td style="width:62pt;">Country</td><td style="width:55pt;">Price</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Rashid Khan</td><td>Afghanistan</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Kagiso Rabada</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Rassie van der Dussen</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Sam Curran</td><td>England</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Jofra Archer</td><td>England</td><td>Wild Card</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Olly Stone</td><td>England</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">George Linde</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Beuran Hendricks</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Duan Jansen</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Dewald Brevis</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Ryan Rickelton</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Grant Roelofsen</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Delano Potgieter</td><td>South Africa</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Liam Livingstone</td><td>England</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Tom Banton</td><td>England</td><td>Retained</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Chris Benjamin</td><td>England</td><td>175K Rand&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Nealan van Heerden</td><td>South Africa</td><td>175K Rand&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Thomas Kaber</td><td>South Africa</td><td>175K Rand&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="height:15.0pt;">Connor Esterhuizen</td><td>South Africa</td><td>75K Rand</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

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Meet the MI Cape Town batch of 2024

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Mumbai Indians. MI Emirates. MI New York. And the one missing puzzle piece to have the complete MI Family on his cricketing resume, is finally here. MI Cape Town. Yes, it’s official, Kieron Pollard, our legend, is set to join MI CT for the first three games of the SA20.&nbsp;Replacing Rashid Khan in that interim, he would be hoping to get the campaign off to a flying start, and set the foundation for what would be his ninth championship title with the MI Family, after five IPLs (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020), two Champions League T20s (2011, 2013) with Mumbai Indians, and the Major League Cricket (2023) with MI New York.&nbsp;From the belter at the Wankhede, to the dustbowls at Abu Dhabi, to the fields in the US, to now the pacy Newlands, it’s going to be an absolute treat for everybody as he tonks them into the grass banks under the backdrop of the Table mountain. Bring it on!&nbsp;

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Kieron Pollard set to join MI Cape Town for first three games

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That's that then, we have our squad of 19 ready to roll, and entertain the world with our trademark MI brand of cricket. A few months too cool off now, group, prepare, strategize, and roll in to the SA20 2024 with everything to play for. Remember, there's a lot for us to avenge after last year, and another league to be conquered. Until we see you then, ta ta!!&nbsp;[Part 3/3]: Tristan Stubbs and Brevis play A team cricket, they have played for South Africa as well. Marco and Duan Jansen were similar classic cases. We will keep challenging ourselves to find them. The goal is to have consistency across all teams. It's been just under 12 months that I have been asked to do this role. A challenge for me working with all the other guys. I see a lot of talent now across the board, I get to travel to all conditions. It is new to all of us, and so it's exciting. We have got a lot of good scouts working for us in all countries. MI started that for us. It has helped us find the Pandya brothers, Ishan, Tilak. The platform is set for us to do it overseas. Some will work for us, some might not.&nbsp;[Part ⅔]: Brevis showed glimpses of what he can do in the US. &nbsp;He is learning everyday. Boult has been great. Polly has been brilliant. We won two tournaments, one with the women and one in the US. We just want to be consistent, and win tournaments. Domestic tournaments like the IPL where we groom players, Jasprit Bumrah was one of those players who joined MI before he played domestic cricket. Tilak Varma is another one. Chris and Connor, we are excited about them. We have invested, and we will keep doing that as a global franchise. Unfortunately we can't have Nicholas Pooran here, but we will play him in UAE. Unfortunately these two tournaments clash. He will make a short appearance here, but it won't be too damaging. We are using all our experienced coaches to come and play with them. It is a long term goal.&nbsp;Mahela Jayawardene | Global Head of High Performance at MI: [part ⅓] “Definitely happy. A lot of people wanted us to do a lot more, but MI has been very consistent. We had a few injuries last year to some of our players, but they will all be there this time. Important thing is role clarity. Last year, we were one game off from getting into the play-offs. Rashid is going to be missing the first three games, and we might get in someone, maybe Polly (laughs). We are consistent with the group depending on their availability.”&nbsp;6:05pm SAST | 9:35pm IST: Yup, we had the first pick at the Rookie Draft, and we immediately snap up Connor Esterhuizen, a St Johns College represent, who has been a prolific run-scorer at the top of the order.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>Thomas Kaber: Hugely experienced Protean lad, having made his domestic debut for the Northerns way back in 2009, he's a proper all-rounder. An aggressive middle-order bat, a left-arm wrist-spinner, oh he's the complete package! Again, at 175k Rand.&nbsp;Nealan van Heerden: Our second pick. Another one at 175k Rand, picked after all the other teams were done with their picks. Without any bidding war, we get what we want. A right-arm quick who plays for Free State, he's going to absolutely love bowling in tandem with Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer!&nbsp;5:50pm SAST | 9:20 IST: We're back. The second session is here, and a total of 70 players would be coming up in serial order. A couple of teams are already done with their quota. We, meanwhile, have three more slots to fill. Here goes ..&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Session 1 ends. A short and sweet session. Not a lot of bidding wars, and MI Cape Town go for just the one player, buy him, and play out the session without any further bidding. Okay, a 20-minute break now before the next round, which will be an accelerated one.&nbsp;OUR FIRST PICK! Christopher Benjamin - the South African-born, England-bred wicket-keeper - is all set to join us! In the second set to be picked up from the bag, at his base price of R175K, he was snapped up, without a bidding war. In The Hundred, he executed a REVERSE-SCOOPED SIX, which got Kevin Pietersen to exclaim on air, “What was that!!!”. Get ready folks, let's welcome him home, and get ready to watch him smash them onto the grass banks at Newlands!&nbsp;None of the batters in the first round of the auction have been picked by MI Cape Town.&nbsp;4:45pm SAST | 8:15pm IST: Let's kick things off, shall we? How's the excitement going? How are your nails? Use them judiciously. Space them over the next two hours.&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<img src="https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/F7_Chvk_N_Wg_AEQVZZ_bcf016b932.jfif" alt="F7ChvkNWgAEQVZZ.jfif" srcset="https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/thumbnail_F7_Chvk_N_Wg_AEQVZZ_bcf016b932.jfif 195w,https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/small_F7_Chvk_N_Wg_AEQVZZ_bcf016b932.jfif 500w,https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/medium_F7_Chvk_N_Wg_AEQVZZ_bcf016b932.jfif 750w,https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/large_F7_Chvk_N_Wg_AEQVZZ_bcf016b932.jfif 1000w," sizes="100vw">Okay, before we kick things off, let's listen in to our young superstar, Dewald Brevis: “It has been crazy. If I have to think of the first game, I must say it is exciting. Such a great platform for them to showcase who they are. The atmosphere is &nbsp;incredible. Amazing to play at home. Absolutely fantastic. The first season didn’t go as we wanted. Looking to do much better this season. Our philosophy at all our MI teams stays the same –to play an exciting brand of cricket. That is what we are looking to do in the MLC and the SA20. I always tell people, when you bat up the top of the order, you are batting and creating a situation. In the middle-order, you play the situation created by the player. I have enjoyed batting four as well. As a player, you develop wherever you bat. Good situations out there to do well for the team.”&nbsp;4:00pm SAST | 7:30pm IST: We're live. There's a bunch of interviews going on at the moment before the auction begins at 4:45pm SAST. Here's how the timings are, fyi: The first round would go on for an hour, followed by a 20-minute break, post which the express round and the draft picks would happen.&nbsp;3:45pm SAST | 7:15pm IST: Right then, our table is ready. The scene is set. Start counting it down ..&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>So here are the rules for the evening:&nbsp;* Stage 1: Pre-determined sets: A total of 40 players would be coming up in the first round* Stage 2: Express (accelerated auction): All unsold players from the first stage, and players nominated by the franchises will come up for the auction. After this stage, the franchises will have filled 17 slots (plus one wild card player slot). &nbsp;&nbsp;* Stage 3: The rookie draft: All South African players under the age of 22 who haven’t been picked up at the Auction would be available for selection. MI Cape Town will have the first pick. &nbsp;3:30pm SAST | 7:00pm IST:&nbsp;Four slots. 5.05 million Rand. Welcome, to what is set to be a short, crisp, intense evening in Johannesburg. Welcome, to the SA20 2024 Auction, where we, at MI Cape Town, will take you through the beats of the event through our Blue and Gold lens as give our squad of 19 its finishing touches. Bring it on!&nbsp;

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The SA20 2024 Auction -- MI Cape Town's Live Blog

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MI Cape Town announce Robin Peterson taking over as Head Coach of MI Cape Town and joining him is Lasith Malinga, as bowling coach - one of the most decorated cricketers and MI legend of all time.&nbsp;Robin Peterson, who was General Manager, MI Cape Town in SA20 2023, and Lasith Malinga struck up a winning partnership at MLC 2023 as Head Coach and Bowling Coach respectively, securing the title in the inaugural season with MI New York. Hashim Amla continues as Batting Coach of MI Cape Town. &nbsp;The MI Cape Town management would like to thank Simon Katich and Jacob Oram for their efforts and contribution and wish them the best for the future.

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Robin Peterson elevated to Head Coach; Lasith Malinga joins as Bowling Coach at MI Cape Town

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Switch on the lights. Set the chairs. Bring out the paddle. Lift the curtains. Get the calculators out.&nbsp;It’s that time of the year. It’s time to strategize, buy, and build. It’s time for the SA20 season 2 Auction. January 10, 2024 – where the onground battles will begin – isn’t too far. For now though, the battle is of the paddle, and here’s is ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING you need to know about the event happening on Wednesday (September 27).&nbsp;Wait, what’s this again?Apart from the IPL, the SA20 happens to be the only other league in the world to have a player auction. So yeah, that’s what’s happening. It’s a small auction though, with most teams having retained their core of players from last year.&nbsp;Where’s it happening?Johannesburg, at 1600 hours SAST (19:30 IST).&nbsp;How many slots do MI Cape Town have?So all teams are required to have 19 players in their squad, with a minimum of 10 South Africans, a maximum of seven internationals, a wild card player, and the new Rookie South African player. MI Cape Town have retained 15 players from last year, including Jofra Archer, who is the wild card signing. This now means there are a total of four slots left to be filled at the auction, which will need to compulsorily include a local Rookie player, and a maximum of two overseas players.&nbsp;And how much money do we have left?5.05 million Rand.&nbsp;Rookie player, you said?&nbsp;A South African player under the age of 22 who hasn’t been contracted in the SA20 before is counted as a Rookie player. Every team will have to have at least one Rookie.&nbsp;So how does one pick a Rookie player?&nbsp;Through a Rookie draft which would be conducted at the conclusion of the regular auction. Just fyi, MI Cape Town will have the first pick in the Rookie draft. In case a team picks a player, who is classified as a Rookie player at the Auction, they would have to pick another through the draft.&nbsp;And who have they retained from last year?&nbsp;Nine South Africans -&nbsp;Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen and Grant Roelofsen, and six overseas players - Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Olly Stone and Jofra Archer, have been retained.

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SA20 season 2 Auction is here: Everything you need to know

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Bring it on. There’s plenty of unfinished business for us to take care of from season one. And we have some good news for you: the dates are out, the scene is set, the battle lines are drawn. Let’s sound the war cry!&nbsp;The second season of SA20 is set to begin on January 10, 2024 at Gqeberha with the defending champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape taking on the Joburg Super Kings. MI Cape Town would begin its journey from Duban in an away game against DSG on January 11, before heading over to Johannesburg for the mega clash against the Super Kings on a Saturday afternoon. The caravan then returns home, to the stunning Newlands for back-to-back games, where we start our quest to make it our fortress.&nbsp;<figure class="table" style="width:296.0pt;"><table><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:black;border:1.0pt solid black;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Date</td><td style="background-color:black;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:none;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">Time</td><td style="background-color:black;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:none;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">Home Team</td><td style="background-color:black;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:none;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">Away Team</td><td style="background-color:black;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:none;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Venue</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 11</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">DSG</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">MI CT</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Durban&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 13</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">13:30 SAST</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">JSK</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">MI CT</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Johannesburg</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 16</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">MI CT&nbsp;</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">SEC</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Cape Town</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 19</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">MI CT&nbsp;</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">PR</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Cape Town</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 21</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">15:30 SAST</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">PR</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">MI CT</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Paarl</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 23</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">MI CT&nbsp;</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">DSG</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Cape Town</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 27</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">13:30 SAST</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">SEC</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">MI CT</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Gqeberha</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Jan 29</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">MI CT&nbsp;</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">JSK</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Cape Town</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Feb 1</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">17:30 SAST</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">PC&nbsp;</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">MICT</td><td style="background-color:#D9D9D9;border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Centurion</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:black;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:51.0pt;">Feb 3</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:54.0pt;">13:30 SAST</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:61.0pt;">MI CT&nbsp;</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:59.0pt;">PC</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid black;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid black;border-top-style:none;height:15.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:bottom;width:71.0pt;">Cape Town</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>&nbsp;Much like the first season, each team would play the other twice in a home-away format, following which the top four teams would progress to the next round. But in a departure from 2023’s tournament rules, the semi-final format will be replaced by the play-offs in 2024.&nbsp;Here's a quick recap then as we start the countdown to day zero: SA20 Auction date: September 27, 2023MI Cape Town players retained:&nbsp;Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer, Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Olly StoneHow’s the excitement building up? Ready to flock the Newlands and travel around the country to paint it Blue and Gold? We have a lot to avenge ..&nbsp;

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Jan 10 ’24 to Feb 11 ’24: SA20 Season 2 SCHEDULE IS HERE!!

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Save the date. The SA20 player auction for the 2024 season will take place in Johannesburg on September 27. Each team will have a larger purse this time around, of R39.1 million, an increase of R5.1 million from the previous season.In a squad of 19, each team is required to have a minimum of ten South African players, a maximum of seven international players and an additional new rookie player. A rookie player is someone who is a South African under the age of 22 and hasn’t played in the SA20 before.&nbsp;"Season 2 of the Betway SA20 is shaping up to be another spectacular showcase of world-class cricket and entertainment," Graeme Smith, the SA20 league commissioner, said in a press release. “The quality of the players already included in the squads, including a few newcomers, is testimony to the success of the inaugural season. Our planning is on track and we look forward to the auction and welcoming players and fans in Season 2.”Here’s how the MI Cape Town retained players squad lines up: Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer, Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Olly StoneSlots to be filled: 4&nbsp;Purse available: R5.05 million

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27 September 2023: SA20 season 2 Auction date announced

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Ahead of the upcoming SA20 Auctions for the second season, MI Cape Town have announced the player retentions.&nbsp;The South African core is retained with Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton - who picked up multiple honours at the 2023 CSA awards as ‘Division 1 One-Day Cup Player of the Season’ and ‘Domestic Players’ Player of the Season’ respectively, Grant Roelofsen, Delano Potgieter, George Linde, Duan Jansen and Beuran Hendricks.Last season’s wildcard pick Jofra Archer and speedster Olly Stone continue with MI Cape Town for the second season.The players join the pre-signings that include Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Tom Banton.Ziyaad Abrahams, Wesley Marshall, Odean Smith and Waqar Salamkheil have been released along with Tim David and Henry Brooks who were signed as in-season replacement players.

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MI Cape Town announce player retentions ahead of 2024 SA20 Auction

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Sound the war bugle. It’s time for season 2. The first move has been made.&nbsp;With January only five months away, the teams have announced their list of pre-signed players. So here we go with ours, ** drum roll **&nbsp;* Rashid Khan: Our skip, our ledge. The true 3-D champ.&nbsp;* Kagiso Rabada: Our leading wicket-taker in 2023. Think pace, think mastery, think Rabada!&nbsp;* Dewald Brevis: The superstar in the making. He might not look up after smoking those sixes, but we sure love looking at him do it* Liam Livingstone:&nbsp;The brutal monster-hitter. He couldn’t show up last year owing to injury. 2024 it will be!&nbsp;* Sam Curran: Swing with the new ball, yorkers with the old, and death-overs hitting with the bat&nbsp;Apart from these, we have also signed on the explosive England ‘keeper-batter, Tom Banton, to our ranks. Bring it on already, please!&nbsp;

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Announced: Rashid, Rabada, Livingstone among MI Cape Town’s pre-season signings

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It’s okay. It hurts. But it’s okay. It needs to hurt for the wound to heal. And come next year, trust our boys to be back with a vengeance.&nbsp;It wasn’t the campaign we were after. The start was terrific though, winning with a bonus point against the Paarl Royals, but sadly, consistency seemed to elude us. As did luck, losing at least five games that could have gone either way in the last few overs. The pieces of the puzzle just didn’t fall into place.&nbsp;Our skipper, Rashid Khan, through all this, has been truly inspirational. He was disappointed, but in a chat with the SA20 league at the end of the game, exuded confidence in both the team and the league for next year.&nbsp;“Not the way we should have been finishing the competition. I feel we could have played much better cricket and finished off well to give us confidence for next year. But I felt we struggled in the last few games in areas. We have to look into those areas. Next time we are going to come stronger,” he said.&nbsp;The one thing that stood out over the last one month is the quality of cricket on display. Every game is almost like an unearthing of someone new. And believe us, this is just the start.&nbsp;“This competition is getting better and better. Each and every game,” Rashid said. &nbsp;“In the next few years this competition is going to be massive. I absolutely love being here. I loved playing for this beautiful franchise. I loved playing at each and every venue. The support we got is something you love the most. The fans came out in numbers and supported the team. It will go from strength to strength and there will be a lot of talents coming out of this competition.”Yes. We will be back. Stronger. Braver. Fitter. Smarter. It’s the Blue and Gold spirit of never giving up. It’s a #OneFamily thing of dusting ourselves and bouncing back to life.&nbsp;

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MI Team, MI Cape Town: Forever #OneFamily through ups and downs

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MI Cape Town lost their final SA20 league game against Joburg Super Kings by 76 runs at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.&nbsp;Chasing a competitive 190-run target set by Faf du Plessis-led side, MICT were restricted to 113 in 17.5 overs.With this defeat, the Rashid Khan-led side's hopes of finishing the tournament on a high were nullified.&nbsp;Young Dewald Brevis, kept fighting till the end.&nbsp; The young right-handed rising star stole the show with his trademark no-look shot against Gerald Coetzee - the tournament's leading wicket-taker - for a maximum. Brevis (235 runs in 10 games) and Rassie van der Dussen (243 runs in 10 games) were the second-highest and highest run-getters respectively, for MICT in SA20.&nbsp;&nbsp;George Linde, Sam Curran and Jofra Archer starred with the ball for MI Cape Town after their captain Rashid Khan elected to bowl first. &nbsp;Linde has been nothing short of a revelation for MICT as the left-arm spinner kept striking with the new ball, picking up Faf du Plessis first ball of the game. He provided those early breakthroughs in the powerplays. He picked up a wicket and conceded 16 runs in the game.Archer - who returned to the international stage with this competition - once again proved his mettle with the ball in their final game against Joburg and picked up a couple of wickets from his quota of 4 overs. The pace sensation from England ended the tournament with ten wickets in six games.&nbsp;Kagiso Rabada remained wicketless in the game but was economical as usual in the match. The Protea star pacer finished with 11 wickets from the tournament and always looked like a man on a mission for MICT.&nbsp;England quick Sam Curran was also amongst the wickets for MICT as the talented left-arm pacer bowled miserly, and picked up two wickets from three overs, including a maiden, and conceded just 16 runs.Reflecting upon his team's journey in the inaugural season of SA20, the MICT captain said, “Next time (our performance) is going to be much better. Overall if you look into this competition, we did not take the game deep, and with the batting, we haven't scored enough (runs).”Rashid also rued that his team didn't perform well in the batting department in the debut season. "In the last 10 games, we have scored just 2-3 fifties which is hurting in T20s. We had only one score of 70-plus in the tournament. Our bowlers did a fantastic job. But batting wasn't upto the mark. 120 are a lot of balls to play, and that's something (we need) to look into (ahead of next edition)," the Afghan leg-spinner reiterated during the post-match press conference.&nbsp;While reacting to the crowd turnout and the level of competition in SA20, Rashid exuded confidence saying it will be a grand success just like the IPL."I think it's a great achievement for Cricket South Africa to (host a tournament like) SA20. I feel after IPL, it is going to be massive competition. In the next 3-4 years, it will go to the next level. Lots of young talents will emerge in the coming years, and the face of South African cricket will change for good. The experience here (I had), I absolutely loved it, every stadium is packed and (that shows) how successful this competition has been," the Afghan star said.Rashid also claimed he wasn't happy with his personal performance in the competition and assured coming back strong next year."It's always a good experience for me when I struggle (to pick up wickets) and that helps me do well in the coming games as I try to rectify my mistakes. I have got a feel of the tracks across all the venues here (in South Africa). So, next year when I come (here), my performance will be much better," he signed off.

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Our final game: Not the result we wanted, but we will come back stronger next year

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It’s not the best way to be bowing out of the tournament. To be fair, we didn’t leave our play-off qualification fate in our own hands. We needed the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to win against the Joburg Super Kings to stay afloat. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. &nbsp;It would have been fun going hard for that bonus point in our final game. It would have been fun leaving it all on the field. Nevertheless, we owe it to our fans, to our Cape Town loyalists, to the spirit of the MI #OneFamily to fight for our pride. We have one final game, and we promise to end things on a positive note.&nbsp;The match is a dead rubber on paper with JSK through and us eliminated, but the larger rivalry between these two teams is something to watch out for. We ended up with an easy win the last time the two teams met, and we cannot wait to dish out something similar!&nbsp;What: Joburg Super Kings vs MI Cape TownWhen: Monday (February 6, 2023)Where: The Wanderers Stadium, JohannesburgWhat to expect: A vigour. A sense of expressing ourselves. And with the belter of a wicket that the Wanderers usually dishes out, expect our batters, who’ve been rather quiet this year, to go on a hitting spree.&nbsp;What they said: “I've met Simon (Katich) a couple of times, but never had the chance to work really close with him. So that's exciting for me to be able to speak to him. He's very clear with his messaging, which is great for me. As a player (this is) something I really enjoy. He's just encouraged me and the other guys to play with freedom and to try and impact the game the best we can.” – Tim David&nbsp;

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Final match of the season Preview: We fight for pride

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It’s not easy to digest a loss like this one. Sadly, in this season, we’ve been on the wrong side of things a little too often. And as the Pretoria Capitals snuck just past us off the final delivery, our fate of making it into the play-offs isn’t in our hands anymore. We need to depend on other results to go in our favour. But as a captain, Rashid Khan was seriously brave, and he put up a brave front in the post-match interview. Excerpts ..On where the team fell shortWell I feel in the last few games, we got 15-20 runs short. On a wicket like this, we made the same mistake. With the ball, we were outstanding. We had a great start, in the middle we took the game away. We just needed to finish well and put up a good total on the board. But those 15-20 runs made the difference.&nbsp;&nbsp;How key was the tossIf we would have won the toss, we definitely would have chased. I still feel this was a good, competitive wicket. If you scored 170-175, as a bowling restricting them under 160 would have been great work. With the batting unit we have, we could have tried to chase. But that’s not in our hands. Wonderful job to take the game to the last ball, but lots to think about and come back strong in the next game.&nbsp;

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“We have been 15-20 runs short in our last few games”

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MI Cape Town produced a superb team effort as they went down fighting in a last-ball thriller against Pretoria Capitals at SuperSport Park in Centurion.MICT fought till the very end but lost the match by a slender one-wicket margin in front of a packed stadium but this match will certainly go down as one of the most exciting contests in the inaugural edition of SA20.Sam Curran almost pulled off the game for MICT while trying to defend a meagre 6 runs from the final over and gave a twist by dismissing the set batter in Senuran Muthusamy. The left-arm English pacer showcased his class and returned with impressive figures of 3/26.Kagiso Rabada – continued to prove himself as a trusted lieutenant for captain Rashid Khan – as the Protea pacer delivered when it mattered the most and helped MICT claw back in the game. Rabada sent dangerman Rossouw back in the dugout and scripted his team's comeback, just when things were looking like a cakewalk for the chasing side.Odean Smith continues to prove himself as a man with the golden arm as he struck twice in an over to push the opposition on the back foot.&nbsp;Captain Rashid controlled the game in his economical spell and conceded just 17 runs from his full quota of 4 overs and bagged a wicket on his first ball of the match.MICT were equally good in the field as well and kept saving those odd runs with electrifying fielding efforts to peg the opponents back.&nbsp;Earlier in the day, in-form Rassie van der Dussen continued his good run with the bat and smashed a 29-ball 51 for MICT. He didn't find much support from the other end as MICT batters were restricted to 159 in 19.4 overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Captain Rashid's tactical acumen came to the fore yet again as he rotated his bowlers brilliantly and led from the front. The Afghanistan cricketer commended the way his team responded in the second innings despite the opposition getting off to a brisk start in the low run chase.&nbsp;“It was a great effort. Great game of cricket, the areas which we were struggling with in the last few games and today it happened again. I feel we were 15-20 runs short. 180 was a good total on this and a good chasing wicket as well. Credit goes to the bowlers who took it to the last ball,” Rashid said at the post-match presentation.MICT head coach Simon Katich also seconded the skipper's opinion and didn't mix words when he said the team fell 15-20 runs short with the bat, which could have made the difference.&nbsp;“We fell 15-20 runs short (with the bat). At one stage we were 100 for three, were going nicely and there were probably 8 or 9 overs remaining. So, 180 was certainly within reach. But credit to them, they kept coming hard at us and we lacked a bit of game awareness in terms of stringing those partnerships together.&nbsp;“We probably just panicked a little bit earlier with the bat I think, and with the ball, I thought it took us four or five overs (upfront) to get those right lines and lengths on the wicket. We gave them a head start of 50 runs but you can't ignore the spirit and effort of our boys with the ball, and in the field to nearly defend 160. I thought we hung in there really well,” the former Australia cricketer said during the post-match press conference.

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PCvMICT report: Hearts, broken. But we gave it our everything!

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It’s simple. With 13 points in our eight games, we simply have to win everything. These two remaining league games aren’t virtual knockouts, they are proper knockouts. We win, we stay afloat, we lose, we might have to go home.&nbsp;Here’s the positive side of things: None of our defeats so far have been one-sided. We’ve always been in the contest, right until the very end, fighting tooth and nail to get over the line. Alas ..&nbsp;We’ve reached that stage where we have to unleash our fearless brand of cricket. As stated by our captain on multiple occasions, we haven’t even been close to playing at full potential. And this could just be the time when things click, we find momentum, and peak exactly at the right time. Come on boys, let’s get the ball rolling and bring it home! Maybe even bring in a bonus point ;)What: Pretoria Capitals vs MI Cape Town When: Saturday (February 4, 2023) Where: SuperSport Park, Centurion&nbsp; &nbsp;What to expect: The Pretoria Capitals have been on a roll with three bonus point wins in their seven games thus far. They are playing at home as well. But we are hungry. It’s a now-or-never zone we are in. Expect a cracker of a game!&nbsp;What they said: “We just haven't found a way to put consistently good performances together. But we've got to win the remaining games and hope that some results go our way as I am not sure what the equation is. We've got some superstars in our line-up but we haven't been able to fire together” – Rashid Khan

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MUST WIN TIME: Table-toppers Pretoria Capitals await

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MI Cape Town lost to Durban Super Giants by five wickets in a last-over thriller as action returned in SA20 after a week's break.In the run chase of 166, Durban Super Giants had to work hard in the second half of their innings but they managed to win the game on the penultimate delivery of the match.Put in to bat first, MI Cape Town posted 165 for 5 in 20 overs, thanks to Rassie van der Dussen (43), debutant Tim David (33) and Delano Potgieter (32*) - who played brilliant cameos.Playing his first game for MICT, David showcased his big-hitting prowess and even proved his wicket-taking ability. While van der Dussen kept proving his importance in the middle overs with yet another crucial knock, although it went in vain.However, it was the unbeaten 50-run stand for the sixth wicket between Odean Smith (17*) and Potgieter (32*) in the end overs, which gave MICT some impetus towards the innings break.MICT bowlers Kagiso Rabada (3/22), Duan Jansen (1/28) and Tim David (1/15) kept the run chase in control with the ball.Using his vast experience, Rabada picked up three important wickets in his second spell during the death overs to bring MICT back into the game. His exploits ensured MICT bowlers gave a tough fight till the end.Captain Rashid rotated his bowlers brilliantly and proved why this bowling attack is a potent one in the competition as the MICT bowlers kept squeezing Super Giants in the slog overs.&nbsp;While speaking at the post-match presentation, the Afghanistan cricketer claimed his team's only objective is to win the last two games and remain in play-off contention.“We fought back well towards the end. We now have to win our last two games. Every game is a knockout and a must-win if we have to be in the top four. We need to play smart cricket and don't have to put pressure on ourselves. (We need to) Just take it one game at a time and give our 100 per cent,” the MICT skipper said.Speaking during the post-match press conference, Rassie subscribed to the captain's comments and said the team will look to win the next two games and hope for the best.&nbsp;“We just haven't found a way to put consistently good performances together. But we've got to win the remaining games and hope that some results go our way as I am not sure what the equation is. We've got some superstars in our line-up but we haven't been able to fire together,” the right-handed batter stated.

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"Just need to take it one game at a time and give our 100 per cent": Rashid Khan after our loss to DSG

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Hard-hitting Australia batter Tim David recently joined the MI Cape Town side ahead of the second phase of SA20 where MI Cape Town takes on Durban's Super Giants today.&nbsp;The right-handed batter - who is a part of Mumbai Indians in the IPL – is happy to have reunited with some of the familiar faces and revealed how being familiar with the Mumbai Indians' culture from the IPL, helped him settle into MI Cape Town quickly.“It's always great to come and see so many friendly faces. You know there's a lot of back room staff here at MI Cape Town that I'm friends with and got to know really well in the last IPL season so to be able to get back in and to be able to be made to feel so welcome is really awesome for me,” the Aussie all-rounder said.When asked about the big games coming up their way pretty fast and how he reads the situation, the Aussie claimed the team's only target is to win all the games.“It's pretty simple. We need to win a couple of games to make it through the playoffs. So that's obviously our target. Sometimes results can be hard to control so we have to go back to the process. It is about how we're going to achieve that. So we've had a couple of really good days of training.”Asked about his conversations with MICT head coach Simon Katich and the coaching staff, David – who is also one of the most sought after T20 player in the world –&nbsp; claimed the former Australia cricketer has encouraged him to play with freedom.“It's been really good. I've met Simon a couple of times, but never had the chance to work really close with him. So that's exciting for me to be able to speak to him. He's very clear with his messaging, which is great for me. As a player (this is) something I really enjoy. He's just encouraged me and the other guys to play with freedom and to try and impact the game the best we can,” he added further.David comes in to the squad adding more firepower to the MI Cape Town setup. Some of the innings he played took the opponents by storm, making him one of the fearsome finishers in the Indian Premier League. Running in good recent form, Tim will be trying to wield the long handle and have an immediate impact in the business end of SA20.

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Happy to reunite with familiar faces from Mumbai Indians at Cape Town - Tim David

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It’s been a week-long break. Let’s face it, we didn’t find the momentum we were searching for in the first half. Although we stitched together some really memorable wins, that killer instinct was somewhere missing. The consistency was missing.&nbsp;So here we are, on the road now with our last three games, and with each of them being a must-win encounter for us to not have to bank on other teams to make it through to the semis. And our boys are coming in with their minds recharged: the South African national players with their confidence high after winning the series, the England national players with their moods upbeat after yesterday’s (February 1) clinical performance, and the others after a much-deserved relaxed outing.&nbsp;Durban’s Super Giants stand in our way, the team that handed us our first L. It’s time for revenge, in their home, in their backyard.&nbsp;What: Durban’s Super Giants vs MI Cape Town When: February 2, 2023 Where: Kingsmead, Durban What to expect: Lots of bounce, plenty of pace, and plenty of big hits. Aka, entertainment to the fullest!&nbsp;

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Let’s restart: The virtual knockouts begin

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MI Cape Town have signed Tim David for the rest of the 2023 season. &nbsp;The 26-year-old, who plays for Mumbai Indians has joined the squad, as SA20 resumes on 2nd February. Tim David is one of the most versatile T20 players in global cricket, a power-hitter and has been a consistent performer across T20 leagues. He replaces Liam Livingstone in the squad.Also, as a replacement for Olly Stone, fellow England Fast bowler Henry Brookes is set to join the MI CT squad for the remainder of the season. &nbsp;The 6 foot 3 inches Henry, who plays across formats, has played 37 matches in T20 cricket, picking up 46 wickets with best bowling figures of 5/25 and has been touted as one with potential in English cricket.&nbsp;

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Tim David replaces Livingstone; Henry Brookes comes in for Stone

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It’s one of those stories that‘s funny to everyone except the person actually involved in it.&nbsp;The year is 2016. A 22-year Olly Stone, with a reputation of bowling thunderbolts, has just gotten Moeen Ali caught behind while playing for Northamptonshire in the T20 Blast. And boy, he is excited. So he leaps up to punch the air in his followthrough in celebration. Quite normal, that’s what most people do.&nbsp;But as he touches down, he lands very awkwardly on knee, so much so that he isn’t even able to get up. The damage: he is ruled out of the tournament. Celebrating wickets was never meant to be painful.&nbsp;Today, as a wiser 29-year-old, Olly sees the funny side. “I do. Moeen Ali always reminds me about it (laughs). It was a freak accident. Looking back, I now see so many people jumping up in the air and celebrating. I just think, ‘please, please don’t get injured like I did’. You then realize how freak it was. I won’t be doing it again, and I can look back now and smile about it, but at that time, yeah, it was a heartbreaking moment,” he said in an exclusive chat with micapetown.co.za.&nbsp;That jarred knee is just one among the many reasons why Olly has had to spend a significant chunk of his time off the cricket field. Four stress fractures to the back, a broken finger that required surgery, and multiple rehab sessions later, he now stands firmer, fitter, and certainly hungrier to make up for lost time.&nbsp;Through all of this, the two things remain unchanged: one, his pace with him still firing thunderbolts regularly in the 145+ kph zone. Two, his desire to play every possible format of cricket. “It's just something I love doing. Bowling fast and being that x-factor is a great asset to have. It makes bowling enjoyable. The thought of being able to run in and not necessarily being able to hit people in the head, but you’ve got that in your armoury. I have had a few injuries but hopefully the significant ones are behind me. I know as a bowler that you are going to pick niggles here and there but when you go out and take wickets, like it has happened in this tournament so far, makes it all worthwhile. It is something I will keep doing until my body tells me I can’t,” he said.&nbsp;“I love playing every format of cricket at the top level, whether it is for England or franchise cricket. It is what I love doing. It wouldn’t have sat right with me to give up on that love. If my body unfortunately doesn’t allow me in the future, then maybe that would be fine with me. Hopefully I can walk away then and have a prolonged career in white-ball cricket. But I just love cricket. There are many worse jobs to have.”&nbsp;Ask him about Ben Stokes’ England with the red-ball mania they’ve created in the last six months, and Olly’s eyes light up. In his three-Test career thus far, he has been pretty impressive in each of those three games. In fact, in the Test in Chennai against India, he was England’s most-impressive bowler despite the extreme spin-friendly conditions. That dream is alive, and kicking.“I mean, it makes you want to be a part of it. It is exciting. It’s nice to see people going out there with freedom and playing with a smile on your face. It just helps cricket going forward. You can bring it into these competitions, into four-day cricket. They’ve just shown that you don’t need to play a way in one format to be successful. I am looking forward to be a part of it. Hopefully I can hit a few sixes as well (laughs).&nbsp;<img src="https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/imgonline_com_ua_resize_R_Uty_Gid_Hvrpk_864b8cdc9b.jpg" alt="imgonline-com-ua-resize-RUtyGidHvrpk.jpg" srcset="https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/thumbnail_imgonline_com_ua_resize_R_Uty_Gid_Hvrpk_864b8cdc9b.jpg 245w,https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/small_imgonline_com_ua_resize_R_Uty_Gid_Hvrpk_864b8cdc9b.jpg 500w,https://micapetown.tinglabs.in/uploads/medium_imgonline_com_ua_resize_R_Uty_Gid_Hvrpk_864b8cdc9b.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw">Having one 145+ kph fast bowler in a side is a big deal. Having two of them is gold. But with Kagiso Rabada, Jofra Archer and Olly Stone donning our MI Cape Town colours, what we have is just the stuff of dreams. The three of them, bowling in tandem, firing them in, and firing up the speedgun. Oh it truly is a sight. And off the field, they’ve been trading the pace-club secrets.“Definitely makes your life easier (to have them around). Discussing just little things about their slower balls, how long they hit their length before they change things up. Just different ways of them going about their bowling is different to what I do, and maybe I can take it in my game to develop my game and also help the team get the results they want. It’s great rubbing shoulders with them and long may it continue,” he added.&nbsp;Right now, the SA20 is in the middle of a week-long break. MI Cape Town are currently ranked fifth on the points table, with three wins and four losses. Come the business end, it’d be safe to say our knockouts would begin a lot sooner than the official ones do. Olly agrees. We haven’t really hit that sweet spot in our performances. We have been on a plateau, and it’s time we gather that winning momentum and peak.&nbsp;“It’s tough. We haven’t probably played a full game of cricket where we have nailed everything. Obviously, we know coming together, we can put that all-round performance in. We have got great heart and character in this side. We get along and enjoy each other’s company.&nbsp;“We know that if we put that all-round performance together, the results will come our way. Hopefully other teams are looking and thinking, ‘Christ, we need to be on our game here, cause, if not, they are going to punish us’. The togetherness will help us get through it. People have got the skill and we just need to put in that all-round performance.”

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“Please, please don’t get injured like I did” – The Olly Stone mantra

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Nah, this certainly wasn’t the result we were after. Our last game at home in front of the Cape Town Faithful, our last game before the week-long break, but alas, we’ve ended up on the wrong side of the result. Our Head Coach, Simon Katich, naturally disappointed, had this to say during the post-match press conference. Excerpts ..&nbsp;&nbsp;On where MI Cape Town lost the gameWe knew this was going to be a big game for us. Last game at home. They’ve been playing really well, coming off a game against Paarl. It was a tough schedule for them. There is a reason there’s clichés in cricket, ‘catches win matches’. That killed us today. That took the game away from us in the powerplay. Really proud of the way we fought after that to get back into the game. Showed a lot of spirit and character to keep them to 182 after they were 84 or something in the powerplay. Disappointing, because we had our chances.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the performance of the seniors in the teamObviously there are a few guys who haven’t hit their straps. We have a good even spread across the group. A lot of our younger guys have really stood up. No doubt a lot of the guys aren’t at their best. They are a pretty crucial role, and would hope for it in the back half of the tournament. By no means are we out of it. There is still a lot of belief in the group. But we have left a lot of work late and the danger in a tournament like this is that we can’t afford to do that.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the Newlands pitchIt was the same when we played Sunrisers the other day. It was used, but we saw that the teams chasing have an advantage so far. Obviously tonight was the first time that the team batting first won. But I dare say, it could have been a different story from 10/2. Both chances were catches that were expected to be taken at this level. No one means to drop them, it happens, but when we look at the way the game played out, we had chances to knock their top two guys out in two overs for less than 10. I thought we fought back well. I thought we started well in the first ten overs with the bat. Young Brevis was outstanding. While he was at the crease, we felt that he could take the game away from the opposition. Unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain that partnership. Another 3-4 overs would have gotten us into a much stronger position. Credit to them (Pretoria Capitals), they deserve to be at the top of the table. No doubt they are the best team in the competition.&nbsp;

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“Cricket’s cliché, ‘Catches win matches'. That killed us today.”

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MI Cape Town lost to Pretoria Capitals in their seventh league game in SA20 here at Newlands in Cape Town.&nbsp;Chasing 183, MICT batters, Dewald Brevis and Sam Curran (22 off 11) sizzled with the bat early in the big run chase but couldn't convert the start into big knocks. Brevis - who completed his career's 1000 T20 runs in this game - smashed a quick-fire 46 off 30 deliveries. The teenage batting prodigy hit a couple of no-look sixes in his knock.His team may not have got the result they wanted but MICT captain Rashid Khan led from the front once again and produced yet another stellar show with the ball. The Afghan spin sensation completed 500 T20 scalps in this game and returned with impeccable figures of 3 for 16.England speedster Jofra Archer once again looked at his lethal best as he grabbed a three-for while West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith picked up a couple from his quota of four overs.Pretoria Capitals were 88 for 1 in 7 overs and it looked like they would post in excess of 200 at the end of the first innings but MICT bowlers pulled things back brilliantly and picked up seven more wickets in the next 13 overs.&nbsp;With 13 points in 7 games, MICT are fourth in team standings and they will be aiming to start afresh when the season resumes on 2nd February.&nbsp;Reflecting upon his team's performance so far and the strategy in the upcoming games the Afghan spin legend said, “I think in the last part of the tournament, we can't do too much experimentation. We just need to stay calm, stay relaxed and do the basics right. I think the 7-8 days break we have will be good for us.”He even thanked the crowd at Cape Town for turning up in large numbers and supporting his team and said, “Massive thank you to the crowds, I'm very happy to play here. We are very sorry we couldn't give you all a win today.”The MI Cape Town team did a lap of honour unfurling 2 banners, clapping and thanking the Newlands One Family for their support.&nbsp;&nbsp;MICT Head Coach - Simon Katich rued the dropped catches by the fielders at the start of the game but lauded the bowlers for pulling things back pretty well in the middle overs.&nbsp;"They say catches win matches, and we weren't good at it early on. But really proud of the way we fought back after the powerplay with the ball. The boys showed a lot of spirit and character to keep them at 182, given the fact that they were 80 without a loss in the powerplay," Katich said during the post-match press conference.The coach also had a word of praise for young Brevis, who continues to increase his stocks in the format with every passing day, and said, "Young (Dewald) Brevis was outstanding. I think when he's at the crease you have this feeling that you can take the game away from the opposition. Unfortunately, we couldn't maintain the partnership today."&nbsp;The former Australia cricketer seconded captain Rashid's opinion about the importance of a break and also threw some light on how the boys will be preparing for the second phase of the tournament."The boys will have three days off and then we'll start practicing from the 27th here (Cape Town). We'll have a couple of practice sessions here before we go to Durban. There too we'll have a couple of such sessions before we play on the 2nd of February. It's important for the guys to get some break," Katich added further.

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We just need to stay calm, relaxed and do the basics right – Rashid Khan after our final home game

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It’s all coming in together. The business end, our final home game, a week-long break, and the quest for our boys to go into it on a high. We’re up against the Pretoria Capitals, who have arguably been the most consistent team in the SA20 so far with four wins in their five games.&nbsp;We’ve managed to turn things around as well against the Paarl Royals at Boland park on Saturday (January 21), with our bowlers putting a stunning show to keep the dangerous Jos Buttler quiet and defend a middling total.&nbsp;It’s all about rising onwards and upwards now. We’re back in our beloved city of Cape Town, at Newlands, our fortress, and we are ready to thank our loyal army of supports, the Cape Town faithful, with a win!&nbsp;&nbsp;What: MI Cape Town versus Pretoria Capitals, Match 20When: Monday, January 23 2023Where: Newlands, Cape Town&nbsp;What to expect: Another true pitch with something in it for everyone. A par total of 160, with the ball swinging initially, turning a bit, with good bounce, and batters getting good value for their shots&nbsp;What they said: “The crowd has been amazing. They have been backing us every single ball. To make them proud and to have them supporting us is something we enjoy very much.” – Dewald Brevis on the fans at Newlands&nbsp;

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#MICTvPC Preview: The clash of the table-toppers in our final home game

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MI Cape Town put up a clinical show with the ball and defeated Paarl Royals by 13 runs and returned to winning ways in some style.After being invited to bat first, MICT didn't have the best of starts. But performances from Grant Roelofsen (34), Rassie van der Dussen (49) and a cameo from George Linde (24 off 14) in the middle overs ensured the visitors had a strong total to defend.Rising to the occasion, MICT bowlers put up a sensational effort and restricted Paarl Royals to 129/6. It was the first win for the team while defending a target and will give a lot of confidence to the team going forward.In-form George Linde (2/23) and Kagiso Rabada (2/27) once again put up a dominant bowling effort and pushed Royals on the back foot early on. Jofra Archer (1/31) and captain Rashid - who was at his best - returned with superb figures of 1 for 16. He choked the flow of runs for the opposition in the middle overs and now has 497 T20 wickets.&nbsp;Reacting over his team's impressive all-round effort, captain Rashid lauded the character shown by his teammates. Hailing the performance of Rassie, the captain claimed they'll be crucial for the team's success going forward.Rashid said at the post-match presentation, “We had to keep things simple. I thought 140+ was a good score. I knew that it'd be tough to score. It was a brilliant all-round effort. The way he (Rassie) played, you need such innings. His role in the team is very important. He'll be crucial in this tournament.”Praising Linde – who has been performing consistently from the start – the captain said all-rounders like him make the captain's job easy.“He (Linde) is performing from the first game. He can bowl in the powerplay, outside the powerplay and that makes my job easier," he added further.The Afghanistan cricketer stated that this win will boost the team's confidence, and give the bowlers the belief to defend any total. “We need to keep improving and move forward. We have to believe in our skills. With the bowling unit we have, we feel like we can defend any total. We'll keep learning and take the positives. This was a crucial win for us,” Rashid added.The team's highest scorer in the game Rassie van der Dussen while interacting at the post-match press conference seemed satisfied with his contribution which resulted in a winning cause and even thanked the captain and coaching staff for showing faith in him.“The game today provided me with a nice opportunity to bat and get myself in on the pitch which wasn't easy. I was always thinking that a score of 140 would be a good total to defend here. Glad that I could repay the faith of captain and coaching staff in me and hopefully we carry this momentum forward,” the senior South Africa cricketer said.When asked about the lessons he and others in the team get from someone like Hashim Alma – who is a legend of the game himself – the right-handed batter said the former brings a calming influence.“Hashim has been great. To have him in the dressing room and when he throws the ball at you in the nets. You don't expect a legend of the game like him to do that. But it's just great to pick up his brains as a coach is simply great. He's so calm and clear about what he wants from us. He's very positive in his feedback. He brings a calming effect inside the dressing room. Everybody ensures that the atmosphere and mood in the change room are light and positive,” he added further.

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