SA20 2023 Points Table: Updated standings after MI Cape Town vs Paarl Royals Match 1

MI Cape Town, on Tuesday (January 10), beat Paarl Royals by eight wickets in the first game of the SA20 at Newlands in Cape Town.

With the win, Cape Town moved to the top of the points table with a net run rate of 2.126. The Royals, meanwhile, dropped to the bottom of the pile.

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Cape Town make stupendous start in SA20 2023

After being put in to bat first, the Royals only manage managed 142-7 in their SA20 opener. Jos Buttler was their standout batter, scoring 51, before fast bowler Olly Stone rattled his woodwork.

Captain David Miller was also effective, scoring 42 off 31 with four fours and one six. Barring him and Buttler, though, none of the other batters stepped up. Jofra Archer was the pick of the Cape Town bowlers, finishing with an incredible spell of 4-1-27-3, while Stone also accounted for three scalps.

Cape Town looked in tremendous touch in the run chase. Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton put on 90 runs for the opening wicket in 10.4 overs to put their team in a commanding position.

Brevis was a tad cautious to start his knock, but once he got the measure of the conditions and the opposition bowling, there was no stopping him. He stayed unbeaten on 71 off 40 with the help of five fours and as many as six sixes.

Rassie van der Dussen smashed Bjorn Fortuin for a six as Cape Town chased down the target in 15.3 overs. They also earned bonus points, as they ended the game with a run rate of 1.25 times more than their opponent.

Ryan Rickelton scored 42 off 33 with five fours and a six. Sam Curran, who batted at No. 3, chipped in with a 16-ball knock of 20 in a knock that had one four and two sixes.