Lhuan-dre pretorius 98* baartman' 4-fers star as Royals beat MICT by 1 runs in last ball Thriller

@lhuan-dre pretorius played shot during his 98* runs innings vs MICT in SA20 2025

Introduction: Cape Derby Thriller

One of the most dramatic finishes of the SA20 2025/26 happened at the Boland Park in Paarl on a warm evening of 2 January 2026. During a game where there was swings and counter swings of momentum, as well as, prelude moments of high pressure, Paarl Royals edged past MICT  by just one run margin. (MICT) a decision that sent fans into a frenzy and highlighted how unpredictable T20 cricket can be.

The context in this victory in particular was that MI Cape Town, who were the holders, needed a victory that would make them feel like they had a break through in the tournament and the Royalties wanted to gain momentum after some poor early results. The ground was prepared to have a classic Western Cape derby.  Paarl Royal'sInnings -- Special Knock by Pretorius

Royals won the toss and decided to bat first on a playing field that seemed to provide the bat and ball with a good balance. Pitch in Boland Park is traditionally a challenge and the modest square with nuanced support to bowlers in the first few overs.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the Command: Lhuan-dre Pretorius was a dictator, by the very first word. The young South African batsman created a spectacular show of class and strength and ended up with a score of 98 runs off just 65 deliveries. His rap was interspersed with beautiful strokes and great hits, and his strike rate was more than 150, which kept the Royals ahead most of the way through their innings. boundaries were not the only thing to tell about Pretorius; he cleverly turned the strike and developed valuable partnerships. His style was quite patience mixed with aggression - the trademark of a future T20 star. Support From Asa Tribe: Asa Tribe had another important assisting performance at the other end with 51 runs off 34 balls. Although not as eye-catching as the knock of Pretorius, Tribe made sure that the Royals were not exposed to slim scoring rate during the middle overs, thus putting the MI Cape Town bowlers under pressure. Paarl Royals had completed with 181 for 3 after 20 overs with those contributions and this is a very competitive score given the conditions and the abilities of the other bowling attack.

 MI Cape Town chase's - A Bold Response: MI Cape Town were on a mission on the vigorous pitch, with the aim of reaching their target of 182. They had to start well and in the initial overs, their openers started to set the groundwork, which would have resulted in a huge chase. Van der Dussen and Rickelton Build Momentum Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton, with 59 off 42 balls and 36 off 20   balls respectively  played a great part in the visit side. The two made sure that MI Cape Town remained ahead of the necessary level heading into the second half of the innings. Van der Dussen' innings was a mixture of controlled aggression and choice of tactical shots whereas Rickelton ensured that each of her runs counted with a sharp time. Both batsmen sought to exploit loose balls, and this left the Royals bowling group to remain disciplined. Late Drama: Heroics of Linde and Rashid At the time it seemed that MI Cape Town would fail to withstand the pressure of the mounting run, it appeared that they had had a late-order revival, and they were still within striking distance.George Linde and Rashid Khan formed a very important alliance - they made a quick 50-plus stand that erected the tide of victory back upon the visitors. Rashid especially is reputed to have a knack of finishing close tight matches and his presence in the order is a literal belief in the MI Cape Town camp. Final Over - A Last-Ball Thriller The climax to this encounter was the last over. MI Cape Town needed a few more runs off the remaining half-dozen balls, but the bowling effort of the Royals, headed by Ottneil Baartman, came into play just when it was really needed. Baartman played a key role in the final phases finishing with some fantastic numbers of 4 wickets for 51 runs in his four overs. With each delivery, the tension increased, MI Cape Town came nearer and still was not able to get the victory. The last ball was when MI Cape Town had to get a boundary to score the point to win the match but they were only able to score with single and small hits. Finally, 180/8 was sufficient that Paarl Royals held on and won the match by the closest of margins just 1 run. Why This Win Matters: This outcome did not only affect the win column. For Paarl Royals:

• Confidence Booster: Victory at the last ball adds a dose of confidence in any team particularly in a competitive tournament such as SA20.

• Momentum Builder: Finishes like these can determine the path of a team in   the tournament, and can create a sense of belief within a team.

• Best Game: Pretorius not only led the victory with his blazing performance   but became a player to be looked at in the competition.

For MI Cape Town:

• Heartbreak in a Close Loss: Although the chase was good, it will hurt to lose so   badly and yet come out on the losing end so closely, but it will also be an   incentive  to do better.

• Encouraging Batting Display: Van der Dussen, Rickelton, Rashid and   Linde   were all   able to stay strong and act well under pressure.

Player of the Match It was no surprise that Lhuan-dre Pretorius was awarded the Player of the Match - it was his unbeaten 98 and calm game leadership in the run chase which gave the innings of the Paarl Royals the backbone. It was the best career-performance which not only made the difference but ended up providing the outcome. Conclusion: A Classic SA20 Encounter The match between Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town on 2 January 2026 will be remembered as a classic SA20 game a match that had a high stakes, individual performances that were spectacular and an climactic finish that kept the fans on their throbbing knees. This was a match of pure excitement and nearly at the edge in a league of big hitting and tactical cricket.paarl royals' 1-run victory was not only a win on the scorecard but a tribute to determination, tactics and the unpredictability of T20 that has made it such a popular show all over the world.

Brief Score: Paarl Royals 181/3 in 20 overs (Lhuan-dre Pretorius 98*, Asa Tribe 51; Rashid Khan 2-31) Beat MI Cape Town 180/8 in 20 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 59, Ryan Rickelton 36; Ottneil Baartman 4-51, Sikandar Raza 3-27) by 1 run.