MI Cape Town's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada delivered a match-winning performance in their 33-run victory over Paarl Royals during the first Cape Derby of SA20 Season 3 at Newlands on Monday. Rabada's two remarkable wicket-maiden overs turned the game on its head, as he dismissed Royals' openers Joe Root (26 off 14) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (26 off 12) in quick succession.
Reflecting on his performance, Rabada credited his execution of plans for his success. "I guess I was just trying to hit good lengths and mix it up with the slow ball and a bouncer whenever I felt it was right. So that's what I tried to do, and it paid off," Rabada said post-match.
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Despite the Royals' strong start, Rabada was confident in his approach. "I was always going to bowl from the fourth over. I think I was always scheduled to bowl at that time," he explained.
Rabada also shared his admiration for teammate Trent Boult, who bowled alongside him with the new ball. "Trent Boult, played against him for so many years and you get nervous in the changing room whenever he has the ball, especially the new ball. It's nice to play with him, bounce ideas off each other, and just talk fast bowling. It's pretty cool to share the same dressing room with someone like that," he said.
Rabada praised the atmosphere at Newlands, a venue he described as special. "Newlands is a stadium with a rich cricket heritage. People in Cape Town love cricket, and it shows in the turnout. The beautiful backdrop of the mountain behind the stadium makes it unique and gets people coming to watch some good cricket," he remarked.
Reflecting on MI Cape Town's season so far, Rabada highlighted the benefits of team continuity. "One thing that's different is that we've been with each other for a while now. It's a similar team, and that helps. Guys are more familiar with each other. But every season is fresh - this year is totally different from last year," he noted.
Looking ahead to their rematch against the Royals in two days, Rabada emphasised the need to reset. "You've got to start again. Today we're happy with the win, but we need to assess and see if we can make it two out of two," he concluded.
