3 similarities between MI's dominant IPL 2020 win and MICT's title triumph in SA20 2025

Sunrisers Eastern Cape's dominance in the SA20 competition finally came to an end as they failed to secure their third consecutive title, with MI Cape Town claiming their maiden victory. The match took place on Saturday, February 8, at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

Cape Town won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen put on 51 runs off 30 balls before the former was dismissed for 33 off 15 balls. Shortly after, van der Dussen (23) and Reeza Hendricks (0) followed suit, leaving Cape Town in a precarious position.

However, the middle order stepped up, with Connor Esterhuizen (39 off 26), Dewald Brevis (38 off 18), and George Linde (20 off 14) providing crucial contributions. These efforts helped MI Cape Town post a total of 181/8 in their 20 overs.

In response, Eastern Cape lost two quick wickets, with David Bedingham (5) and Jordan Hermann (1) failing to make an impact. Tony de Zorzi (26) and Tom Abell (30) tried to stabilize the innings, but Cape Town's bowlers continued to make inroads. Eastern Cape lost their last six wickets for just 31 runs, getting bowled out for 105.

Kagiso Rabada was the standout bowler, claiming four wickets as MI Cape Town secured a 76-run victory, claiming their first-ever SA20 title. Their dominant performance was reminiscent of Mumbai Indians' campaign in IPL 2020, where they clinched their fifth title.

In this article, we will explore three key similarities between MI's dominant IPL 2020 win and MICT's title triumph in SA20 2025.

---

#1 Both teams finished at the top of the table and went on to win Qualifier 1 and the final

In IPL 2020, Mumbai Indians, led by Rohit Sharma, were dominant in the league stage, winning nine out of 14 matches and finishing at the top of the table with 18 points. They faced Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1, where they secured a convincing 57-run victory, with Jasprit Bumrah earning Player of the Match honors for his outstanding performance of 4/14.

In the final, Mumbai once again faced the Capitals and delivered another dominant performance, winning by five wickets while successfully chasing down 157 to clinch their fifth IPL title.

Meanwhile, MI Cape Town also performed similarly, finishing at the top of the SA20 2025 points table with seven wins from 10 matches. They faced Paarl Royals in Qualifier 1 and secured a 39-run victory to advance to the final.

In the summit clash, they met defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Cape Town put on a brilliant performance, winning by 76 runs while successfully defending 181, claiming their maiden championship.

---

#2 Trent Boult winning the Player of the Match in both finals

In the IPL 2020 final, Delhi Capitals won the toss and opted to bat. However, they were restricted to just 156/7 in their 20 overs, with Trent Boult taking 3/30 for Mumbai Indians. In response, a half-century from skipper Rohit Sharma (68) guided Mumbai to a convincing five-wicket win. Boult was named Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling performance.

In the SA20 2025 final, MI Cape Town posted a respectable total of 181/8 in their 20 overs. In response, their bowlers delivered an exceptional performance, bowling out Sunrisers Eastern Cape for just 105. Trent Boult was named Player of the Match for his outstanding figures of 2/9 in his four-over spell.

---

3) A brilliant performance from the leading bowlers along with the top-order batters

Mumbai Indians had a dominant campaign in the 2020 IPL, with several of their bowlers and batters making significant contributions. Ishan Kishan was the top scorer for MI that season, amassing 516 runs at an average of 57.33, including four fifties. Quinton de Kock also played a key role, contributing 503 runs with four fifties, while Suryakumar Yadav scored 480 runs throughout the season.

In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult were exceptional. Bumrah claimed 27 wickets in 15 matches, while Boult took 25 wickets in the same number of games. Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar also made his mark, picking up 15 wickets from as many matches.

MI Cape Town experienced a similar dominant run in the SA20 2025 season. Rassie van der Dussen was exceptional throughout, amassing 393 runs in 11 matches at an average of 49.12. Ryan Rickelton contributed 336 runs, including three fifties, while Dewald Brevis added 291 runs, featuring two fifties to his name.

In the bowling attack, Trent Boult was a standout performer once again, taking 11 wickets from as many matches at an exceptional economy rate of 6.94. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada and skipper Rashid Khan each claimed 12 wickets, while George Linde also made a valuable contribution with 11 wickets, showcasing a complete team performance.