CAPE TOWN, South Africa, CMC – Odean Smith and Jofra Archer found themselves among the wickets, but both failed with the bat when runs were needed, as MI Cape Town slumped to their fourth defeat in seven outings with a 52-run loss to Pretoria Capitals.
Playing at Newlands, Capitals racked up 182 for eight from their 20 overs with Barbados-born England fast bowling star Jofra Archer, who played a handful of games for West Indies Under-19s in the past, claiming three for 37 from four overs.
Smith, who has played 24 Twenty20 Internationals for West Indies, was also excellent in his four-over spell, picking up two for 27.
Capitals’ total rested principally on two partnerships. First, Will Jacks belted five fours and five sixes in a 25-ball 67 as he put on 88 in a productive opening stand with Kusal Mendis (29).
And when three wickets went down for 12 runs off 11 balls, Theunis de Bruyn rallied the innings with 36 from 26 balls with two fours and two sixes, adding 32 for the fifth wicket with Clyde Fortuin (11).
Smith claimed Jacks caught behind in the eighth over, and Archer got de Bruyn to hole out to fine leg in the 18th, but New Zealander Jimmy Neesham smacked an 18-ball unbeaten 22 with three fours, to give Capitals energy towards the end.
In reply, Dewald Brevis top-scored with 46 from 30 balls, crunching four fours and three sixes in a 36-run second-wicket partnership with Sam Curran (22) and then in a 47-run third-wicket stand with Rassie van der Dussen (24).
Once Brevis fell in the 13th over, Cape Town lost their last eight wickets for 29 runs, with Smith (1) and Archer (1) falling cheaply.
Capitals top the standings with 23 points, while Cape Town lies fourth with 13 points.
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