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The Paarl Royals vs MI Cape Town match scorecard provides all the important details from the 10th match of the SA20 2025–26 season, played on January 2, 2026, at Boland Park in Paarl, South Africa. The match delivered an exciting finish, with Paarl Royals defending a competitive total to win by just one run.
Paarl Royals scored 181/3 in their allotted 20 overs, powered by an outstanding unbeaten innings from Lhuan-dre Pretorius and a half-century from Asa Tribe. MI Cape Town responded with 180/8, falling narrowly short despite a strong innings from Rassie van der Dussen and a late counterattack by Rashid Khan.
Ottneil Baartman took four wickets for Paarl Royals, while Sikandar Raza claimed three wickets. Pretorius was named Player of the Match for his brilliant 98 not out, which proved crucial in deciding the contest.
Match Summary: Paarl Royals vs MI Cape Town
The match featured aggressive batting, important bowling spells and a tense final over. Paarl Royals won the toss and elected to bat first. Their batters built a strong innings, reaching 181 runs for the loss of three wickets.
MI Cape Town began the chase positively and remained in contention for much of the innings. However, Paarl Royals took wickets at important moments and managed to protect their total under pressure.
| Match detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | SA20 2025–26 |
| Match | 10th Match |
| Date | January 2, 2026 |
| Venue | Boland Park, Paarl |
| Toss | Paarl Royals elected to bat |
| Paarl Royals | 181/3 in 20 overs |
| MI Cape Town | 180/8 in 20 overs |
| Result | Paarl Royals won by 1 run |
| Player of the Match | Lhuan-dre Pretorius |
Paarl Royals Innings Scorecard
Paarl Royals made an excellent start, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Asa Tribe establishing a strong opening partnership. Their attacking approach helped the team score 66 runs during the powerplay, giving the innings a solid foundation.
Tribe scored 51 from 34 deliveries, hitting five fours and one six. His innings provided momentum and allowed Pretorius to settle into a productive rhythm. After Tribe’s dismissal at 100, Pretorius continued to score freely.
David Miller contributed 19 from 14 balls, while Sikandar Raza scored two runs. Pretorius remained unbeaten on 98 from 65 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and two sixes. He came close to a century and finished with a strike rate above 150.
Paarl Royals ended their innings at 181/3, a total that appeared competitive but still required disciplined bowling against MI Cape Town’s powerful batting lineup.
Paarl Royals Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhuan-dre Pretorius | 98* | 65 | 10 | 2 |
| Asa Tribe | 51 | 34 | 5 | 1 |
| David Miller | 19 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Sikandar Raza | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Delano Potgieter | 2* | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | 9 | — | — | — |
| Total | 181/3 | 20 overs | — | — |
The extras included three byes, two leg byes, three wides and one no-ball. Rubin Hermann, Kyle Verreynne, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nqobani Mokoena and Ottneil Baartman did not bat.
MI Cape Town Bowling Performance
MI Cape Town’s bowlers found it difficult to stop Paarl Royals from scoring consistently. Trent Boult took one wicket, while Rashid Khan dismissed two batters. However, the home side’s top order had already established a strong platform.
Rashid finished with two wickets for 31 runs in four overs. Boult conceded 33 runs and claimed one wicket. Kagiso Rabada and Dane Piedt went wicketless, while Jacques Snyman and George Linde also struggled to contain the scoring rate.
The Royals’ total of 181 meant MI Cape Town needed a strong batting performance to stay ahead of the required run rate throughout the chase.
MI Cape Town Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Snyman | 2 | 16 | 0 |
| Trent Boult | 4 | 33 | 1 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 46 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 31 | 2 |
| Dane Piedt | 4 | 34 | 0 |
| George Linde | 2 | 16 | 0 |
MI Cape Town Innings Scorecard
MI Cape Town began their chase with purpose. Ryan Rickelton scored 36 from 20 balls, hitting five fours and one six. His partnership with Rassie van der Dussen helped the team reach 77 before Rickelton was dismissed in the eighth over.
Van der Dussen then became the key batter for MI Cape Town. He scored 59 from 42 deliveries, including two fours and five sixes. His innings kept the visitors in the contest, but wickets began to fall around him.
Nicholas Pooran made 12, while Jason Smith and Jacques Snyman could not make substantial contributions. Tom Moores was dismissed without scoring, leaving MI Cape Town needing a strong finish.
Rashid Khan provided late excitement with 35 from 18 balls, including three sixes. George Linde remained unbeaten on 20, but the late scoring surge was not enough. MI Cape Town finished at 180/8, one run short of the target.
MI Cape Town Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Rickelton | 36 | 20 | 5 | 1 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 59 | 42 | 2 | 5 |
| Nicholas Pooran | 12 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| Jason Smith | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacques Snyman | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Tom Moores | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| George Linde | 20* | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| Rashid Khan | 35 | 18 | 2 | 3 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Trent Boult | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dane Piedt | Did not bat | — | — | — |
| Extras | 8 | — | — | — |
| Total | 180/8 | 20 overs | — | — |
MI Cape Town’s extras consisted of five leg byes and three wides.
Paarl Royals Bowling Performance
Paarl Royals needed to maintain control throughout the chase, particularly after MI Cape Town’s strong start. The bowlers delivered wickets at key moments and kept the opposition from building an uninterrupted scoring sequence.
Ottneil Baartman was the leading wicket-taker, finishing with four wickets for 51 runs in four overs. Although he conceded runs, his breakthroughs were valuable in the closing stages. Sikandar Raza also played a major role, taking three wickets for 27 runs and dismissing important batters.
Nqobani Mokoena claimed one wicket, while Bjorn Fortuin and Mujeeb Ur Rahman were unable to take wickets. The collective effort helped the Royals defend their total by the narrowest possible margin.
Paarl Royals Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bjorn Fortuin | 3 | 24 | 0 |
| Nqobani Mokoena | 4 | 29 | 1 |
| Ottneil Baartman | 4 | 51 | 4 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 4 | 34 | 0 |
| Sikandar Raza | 4 | 27 | 3 |
| Asa Tribe | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Fall of Wickets and Important Partnerships
Partnerships shaped both innings. Paarl Royals benefited from a productive opening stand between Pretorius and Tribe, which took the team to 100 before Tribe was dismissed. The partnership gave the Royals a platform to accelerate during the second half of the innings.
For MI Cape Town, Rickelton and van der Dussen added 77 runs for the first wicket. Van der Dussen then continued to score while wickets fell at the other end. The late partnership between George Linde and Rashid Khan brought renewed hope, but Paarl Royals held their nerve.
Paarl Royals Fall of Wickets
| Wicket | Score | Batter dismissed | Over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | Asa Tribe | 10.4 |
| 2 | 130 | David Miller | 14.6 |
| 3 | 154 | Sikandar Raza | 17.4 |
MI Cape Town Fall of Wickets
| Wicket | Score | Batter dismissed | Over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 | Ryan Rickelton | 7.5 |
| 2 | 109 | Rassie van der Dussen | 12.1 |
| 3 | 111 | Jason Smith | 12.4 |
| 4 | 114 | Nicholas Pooran | 13.3 |
| 5 | 114 | Tom Moores | 13.4 |
| 6 | 118 | Jacques Snyman | 14.5 |
| 7 | 169 | Rashid Khan | 19.2 |
| 8 | 175 | Kagiso Rabada | 19.4 |
Player of the Match: Lhuan-dre Pretorius
Lhuan-dre Pretorius earned the Player of the Match award for his outstanding unbeaten innings of 98 runs from 65 balls. His performance combined patience with attacking stroke play, allowing Paarl Royals to post a total above 180.
Pretorius hit 10 fours and two sixes and maintained a strike rate of 150.77. His innings was particularly important because the Royals lost only three wickets, enabling the team to bat through the full 20 overs.
Asa Tribe’s half-century also played an important role, while Sikandar Raza and Ottneil Baartman helped secure the result with the ball.
Key Match Statistics
- Winning team: Paarl Royals.
- Winning margin: One run.
- Paarl Royals total: 181/3 in 20 overs.
- MI Cape Town total: 180/8 in 20 overs.
- Top scorer for Paarl Royals: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 98 not out.
- Top scorer for MI Cape Town: Rassie van der Dussen, 59.
- Best bowling figures for Paarl Royals: Ottneil Baartman, 4/51.
- Other major bowling contribution: Sikandar Raza, 3/27.
- Player of the Match: Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
- Venue: Boland Park, Paarl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Paarl Royals vs MI Cape Town match?
Paarl Royals won the SA20 2025–26 match by one run after defending a total of 181/3.
What was Paarl Royals’ score?
Paarl Royals scored 181 runs for three wickets in 20 overs.
What was MI Cape Town’s score?
MI Cape Town scored 180/8 in their allotted 20 overs, finishing one run short of victory.
Who was the Player of the Match?
Lhuan-dre Pretorius was named Player of the Match after scoring an unbeaten 98 from 65 balls.
Who took the most wickets in the match?
Ottneil Baartman was Paarl Royals’ leading wicket-taker with four wickets for 51 runs. Sikandar Raza also made a significant contribution with three wickets for 27 runs.
Conclusion
The Paarl Royals vs MI Cape Town match scorecard highlights one of the closest finishes of the SA20 2025–26 season. Paarl Royals posted 181/3 through excellent batting from Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Asa Tribe. MI Cape Town fought hard, with Rassie van der Dussen scoring 59 and Rashid Khan adding a rapid 35, but finished at 180/8. Strong bowling contributions from Ottneil Baartman and Sikandar Raza helped the Royals defend their total and secure a thrilling one-run victory at Boland Park.