Kagiso Rabada stood triumphant in the middle of the Wanderers, arms aloft like a gladiator, as MI Cape Town completed one of cricket’s most remarkable turnarounds to claim the Betway SA20 Season 3 championship.
“It’s out! Oh, yes it’s out! MI Cape Town win SA20 2025!” exclaimed commentator Mark Nicholas as the franchise that had missed consecutive playoff berths despite being cricket’s most-resourced team finally captured their maiden title.
Rabada’s match-winning four-wicket haul dethroned two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, capping a stunning transformation under Robin Peterson’s guidance from basement dwellers to champions.
“You’re only as good as your last game. And our last game we played was the final and we won,” reflected the 30-year-old ahead of MI Cape Town’s Season 4 opener against Durban’s Super Giants.
The philosophical response stems from Rabada’s decade-long career at cricket’s highest level, having emerged from the ICC U19 World Cup triumph in 2014 where he bowled South Africa to victory in the UAE.
“The evolution of my career has been quite interesting,” Rabada explained. “You go from stages where you feel like everything is in autopilot to stages where you feel like you can’t even fly the plane anymore.”
His journey has encompassed extraordinary highs and testing lows, shaping both character and skill. “Your character gets tested a lot. Your character will get tested a lot more than your skill,” he observed.
“Normally when you respond to those challenges, when your character gets challenged, that’s when you generally up your skill. Your temperament, your patience, your understanding, your knowledge, it tests everything.”
This wealth of experience positions Rabada perfectly to mentor MI Cape Town’s emerging fast bowlers, including promising talents Tristan Luus and Tiaan van Vuuren.
“Tristan was here last year. He’s here again. You can really see how much he’s matured just from one season,” noted Rabada. “He’s bowling really well. I think he’s going to do well.”
The veteran fast bowler embraces his mentorship role whilst maintaining focus on team success. “Wherever I can impart some wisdom from my experiences, I’m more than happy to do so. As long as it’s contributing to the team’s success, that’s mainly the bottom line.”
MI Cape Town’s title defence begins at Newlands on Friday, where a capacity crowd is expected for the season opener. The venue proved crucial last season when the franchise became only the second team to win all five home matches.
“The 12th man at Newlands is going to be super important for us,” Rabada acknowledged. “We have to deliver for the team and also for Newlands faithful.”
