As the sun sets on 2025, the SA20 brings a New Year’s Eve blockbuster to the iconic Newlands Cricket Ground. Both MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals are desperate for their first win of the season, making this Match 8 a high-stakes encounter to kick off the festivities.
The “Home Side” has shown flashes of brilliance but lacked the finishing touch. Ryan Rickelton has been in sensational form, coming off a blistering century in the opener, while Nicholas Pooran remains one of the most dangerous T20 hitters globally. With Rashid Khan leading the attack and Trent Boult swinging the new ball, MICT has the pedigree to dominate if they can stay consistent through the middle overs.
It’s been a sluggish start for the Capitals, who have struggled to find momentum in their first two outings. Their batting unit, featuring the explosive Will Smeed and the steady Shai Hope, hasn’t quite fired in unison yet. However, the bowling department remains a threat; Tymal Mills has been among the wickets, and captain Keshav Maharaj will look to exploit any grip the Newlands surface offers.
MICT vs PC, SA20 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: December 31; 9 pm IST / 3 am GMT / 5:30 pm Local
- Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
MICT vs PC, Head-to-Head Record in SA20
Matches played: 6 | MI Cape Town won: 3 | Pretoria Capitals won: 3 | No result/Tied: 0
Newlands Pitch Report:
Historically, Newlands offers a bit of pace and bounce early on, which will excite Kagiso Rabada and Trent Boult. However, recent trends show it has become a batting-friendly venue as the game progresses. Chasing is often preferred here (58% win rate for the team batting second), especially with the possibility of late evening dew.
Squads:
Pretoria Capitals: Will Smeed, Bryce Parsons, Shai Hope (wk), Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Sherfane Rutherford, Wihan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj (c), Codi Yusuf, Tymal Mills, Lungi Ngidi, Daniel Smith, Roston Chase, Lizaad Williams, Sibonelo Makhanya, Keith Dudgeon, Junaid Dawood, Gideon Peters, Meeka eel Prince
MI Cape Town: Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Jason Smith, Nicholas Pooran, Dwaine Pretorius, George Linde, Rashid Khan (c), Corbin Bosch, Karim Janat, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tom Moores, Jacques Snyman, Tiaan van Vuuren, Daniel Lategan, Thomas Kaber
MICT vs PC, SA20 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- MI Cape Town wins the toss and bowls first
- Pretoria Capitals’ powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Pretoria Capitals’ total score: 160-170
Case 2:
- Pretoria Capitals wins the toss and bowls first
- MI Cape Town’s powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
- MI Cape Town’s total score: 175-195
Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest
