Heinrich Klaasen’s breezy knock helped Durban’s Super Giants make a winning start in the SA20 2024 as they beat MI Cape Town by 11 runs at the Kingsmead on Thursday.

Put in to bat first, MI Cape Town registered 207/5 - their highest total in SA20 - but Heinrich Klaasen led DSG’s reply with a fluent 85 off 35, which eventually handed DSG a thrilling victory in a rain-curtailed match.

Paul keeps MICT under check

Riding on Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen’s 82-run opening stand, MICT were off to a blazing start. However, Keemo Paul put the brakes on MI Cape Town by dismissing van der Dussen in the eighth over. 

Paul then came back to send Rickelton packing in the 16th over just when the latter, batting on 87 in 50 balls, looked all set to take MI Cape Town to an even bigger score. However, a late surge from Kieron Pollard and Liam Livingstone took MICT past 200.

Keemo Paul finished with figures of 2/31 in four overs and his spell did not allow MICT set a target beyond reach.

Klaasen sets Kingsmead on fire

DSG were reduced to 12/2 inside three overs with Quinton de Kock and Wiaan Mulder returning to the dressing room after scoring 5 runs each. Matthew Breetzke and Keemo Paul brought back some stability to the innings with a 40-run partnership.

Paul’s stay at the crease ended in the seventh over with DSG’s score at 52/3 but Heinrich Klaasen’s arrival at the middle ignited a remarkable turnaround.

While wickets kept falling at the other end and rain threatened to play spoilsport, Klaasen, with belligerent hitting, ensured the required run rate never climbed too high.

Klaasen brought up his 50 in 25 balls and then upped the ante further before being holed out in the deep off Kagiso Rabada on the fifth ball of the 16th over.

Four deliveries later, rain interrupted play with DSG needing 31 runs off 21 balls.

Though Klaasen was no longer on the crease, his knock, highlighted by four boundaries and eight maximums, had DSG at 177/6 - well over the DLS par score of 166 the team needed after the 16.3 overs played before rain stopped play. DSG won the match by 11 runs based on the DLS method.

What next for the Super Giants?

DSG will be up against defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Gqeberha on Saturday. 

Brief Scores: MI Cape Town 207/5 in 20 overs(Ryan Rickelton 87; Keemo Paul 2/31) lost to Durban’s Super Giants’ 177/6 in 16.3 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 85, Kagiso Rabada 2/23) by 11 runs (DLS method).