SA20 2025/26 Match 22: Pretoria Capitals vs MI Cape Town – Match Preview

Match Details

• Date: Monday, 12th January 2026
• Venue: SuperSport Park, Centurion
• Start Time: 15:30 GMT / 17:30 Local / 21:00 IST
• Tournament: SA20 2025/26
• Match Number: 22

Team Form and Momentum

The Pretoria Capitals come into this match with a win in their previous encounter against the Paarl Royals, giving them a boost in confidence. They currently sit with 15 points from seven games, with key contributors like Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford providing stability with the bat, and Gideon Peters wreaking havoc with the ball.

On the other hand, MI Cape Town is in excellent form, having won their last two matches. The team is led by the prolific run-scorer Ryan Rickelton, who has been in a purple patch with the bat. His opening partner, Rassie van der Dussen, has also been a consistent performer, while Corbin Bosch and George Linde have provided crucial breakthroughs with the ball.

Players to Watch

Pretoria Capitals

• Shai Hope – The Capitals’ top run-scorer with 228 runs at an average of 45.6 and a strike rate of 150.99.
• Sherfane Rutherford – A dynamic all-rounder who has contributed 161 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 173.11.
• Gideon Peters – A menace with the new ball, averaging 11.5 per wicket and taking a wicket every 10.5 balls.

MI Cape Town

• Ryan Rickelton – The season’s leading run-scorer with two centuries to his name and a strike rate of 172.28.
• Corbin Bosch – The team’s leading wicket-taker with 7 wickets in 6 games, and a handy lower-order run-scorer.
• Rassie van der Dussen – A crucial middle-order anchor and a match-winner in tight situations.

Head-to-Head

In their last five meetings:

• MI Cape Town has won 3 matches.
• Pretoria Capitals has won 2.

Despite the Capitals’ home advantage, MI Cape Town has been the dominant side in recent encounters, winning by notable margins.

Venue Analysis – SuperSport Park, Centurion

SuperSport Park is a high-scoring venue, with the average first-innings score hovering around 176 in recent T20 games. The pitch is generally good for batting, but the early and late overs can offer assistance to fast bowlers.

• Average First Innings Score (2022–2026): 176.00
• Bowling Averages:
  • Fast Bowlers: 27.09 average, 9.36 economy
  • Spin Bowlers: 39.35 average, 8.82 economy
• Winning Percentage:
  • Batting First: 55.9%
  • Batting Second: 44.1%

The data suggests that teams batting first have a slight edge at this venue.

Squads

Pretoria Capitals

• Keshav Maharaj (c), Jordan Cox (wk), Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Daniel Smith (wk), Meekaeel Prince (wk), Shai Hope (wk), Dewald Brevis, Wihan Lubbe, Sibonelo Makhanya, Sherfane Rutherford, Will Smeed, Roston Chase, Codi Yusuf, Andre Russell, Bryce Parsons, Junaid Dawood, Keith Dudgeon, Tymal Mills, Lungi Ngidi, Gideon Peters, Lizaad Williams

MI Cape Town

• Rashid Khan (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tom Moores (wk), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Daniel Lategan, Rassie van der Dussen, Jason Smith, Corbin Bosch, Thomas Kaber, Karim Janat, George Linde, Dwaine Pretorius, Jacques Snyman, Tiaan van Vuuren, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada

Match Predictions

• Toss Winner: MI Cape Town
• Match Winner: MI Cape Town
• Top Batter: Shai Hope (Pretoria Capitals) or Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town)
• Top Bowler: Gideon Peters (Pretoria Capitals) or Corbin Bosch (MI Cape Town)
• Most Sixes: Sherfane Rutherford (Pretoria Capitals) or Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town)
• Player of the Match: Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town)
• Team Scores (Batting First): Pretoria Capitals 170+ / MI Cape Town 170+

Additional Insights

• Rassie van der Dussen has a crucial impact – MI Cape Town wins 15% more often when he scores over 50.
• Dewald Brevis is a boundary machine, averaging a 20% strike rate for sixes.
• Jason Smith is a pressure reliever, facing only 34% dot balls in his innings.
• Gideon Peters is a wicket-taking machine, taking more than 3 wickets in 30% of his games.
• Rashid Khan is a key economy specialist, maintaining an economy under 6.00 in 46% of his games.
• Keshav Maharaj is a middle-overs destroyer, taking 84% of his wickets during that phase.

Final Thoughts

This promises to be a thrilling encounter between two evenly matched sides. While Pretoria Capitals enjoy home advantage and a strong batting line-up, MI Cape Town’s recent form and depth in both batting and bowling give them the edge. The key will be who wins the toss and chooses the right strategy. With the pitch favoring batting, a high-scoring thriller is on the cards.

Prediction: MI Cape Town to win by 6-8 runs.
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