Cricket
Rain forces T20 Knockout final to resume on Monday─── MORGAN PIEK 16:35 Sun, 23 Nov 2025
The T20 Knockout final between the Flexbrands Knights and Eastern Cape Iinyathi in Bloemfontein will resume on Monday morning after rain brought an early close to play.
On Sunday, the Knights won the toss at the Mangaung Oval and elected to have a bat first. The Knights were on 92/3 after 10.2 overs when the umpires asked the players to leave the park due to lightning in the vicinity.
The Knights got off to a strong start with Jacques Snyman blasting 26 off 14 balls before being bowled out by Alindile Mhletywa with the score on 36/1 in the 4th over.
Cole Abrahams was looking good with the bat before going for a big shot, only to be caught in the deep by Michael Copeland off the bowling of Thozama Totana for 16 off 12 balls with the score on 70/2.
Isaac Dikgale, who opened the batting in place of the injured Gihahn Cloete, was anchoring the innings and was unbeaten on 37 when play was called after Patrick Botha was trapped LBW by Copeland with his score on 7.
During the break for lightning the rain, as well as hail, started and despite short intervals of clearer weather, the rain just kept coming back and eventually the remainder of the game was postponed until Monday. The Knights will resume their innings on 92/3.
Captain Malusi Siboto told OFM Sport that it's definitely not ideal, but they do already have runs on the board.
Isaac Dikgale - Morgan Piek
“I think with the rain obviously getting in the way, it kind of put them back in the momentum of the game,” said Siboto.
“That said, with the rain stopping the play, it also puts us back into it. It's a bit of a 50-50 at the moment, but we'll take what we have at the moment.”
Siboto does however feel that with the pitch spending another evening under the covers, this might also play into their hands a bit.
“I think that's an advantage for us in that regard with the bowling attack that we’ve got,” the veteran seamer added.
“So we'll see how the wicket is playing in the first two overs and we'll try and adjust from there. But on the bowling side for us, like what should you say, I think it's going to be important to just start well and make sure we do the basics better.”
Play at the Mangaung Oval is scheduled to resume at 10:00 on Monday morning.
Morgan Piek OFM Sport
