Mzansi Super League: All you need to know about Cape Town Blitz

With all the countries getting their own T20 leagues, it is only understandable that South Africa now got their own. The Mzansi Super League was founded by Cricket South Africa (CSA) in 2018 and the first edition is scheduled to happen from 16 November to 16 December 2018. Six franchises will take part in the tournament. Here is all you need to know about one of the six teams, Cape Town Blitz.

Base and Home Ground

The team is based at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town and will play their home games at the NCG.

Squad

Asif Ali (Foreign Overseas), Dawid Malan (International Marquee), Janneman Malan, Sibonelo Makhanya, Quinton de Kock (Protea Marquee), Kyle Verreynne (Rookie), Andile Phehlukwayo, Farhaan Behardien (Captain), Jason Smith, Anrich Nortje, Dale Steyn, Ferisco Adams, Malusi Siboto, Dane Piedt, George Linde, Samuel Badree (Foreign Overseas)

Players to watch out for

Dawid Malan

The Middlesex captain is widely known for his maiden test century at the WACA in Ashes 2017-18. He scored 140 off 227 deliveries and played a crucial role in lifting the visitors' total to 403. Although he played a brilliant knock, the visitors lost the game in a very dismal fashion and after a string of poor performances, and he was subsequently dropped from the England test squad.

In the five T20 Internationals that he was part of, he smashed four half-centuries and is averaging 50.00 over the five games. Even with such an eye-catching resume, he was dropped from the national T20 team and is currently aiming for a comeback. A good outing at the MSL will definitely give a huge boost to his T20 International career.

Dale Steyn

One of the greatest fast bowlers of all-time, Dale Steyn played a key role in South Africa's series win against Zimbabwe in the recently concluded one-day series. He came back to ODI format after a two-year hiatus due to injury and registered his first ODI half-century in his comeback game.

He picked up 5 wickets in two ODIs and showed glimpses of his old self. In the ongoing series against Australia, he picked up two wickets in the first ODI and helped the hosts defeat the visitors.

With Steyn looking like a man on a mission after being away from the game for quite some time due to injuries, it will be interesting to see what he does at the MSL. His exploits can change the course of the game in just a few deliveries.

Anrich Nortje

Anrich Nortje plays for the Warriors cricket team that participates in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge and the Sunfoil Series. He won the Most Promising Player of the Year award at the Warriors franchise's awards function.

In the ongoing four-day game between Knights and Warriors, Nortje registered figures of 5/51 on Day 1 at Kimberley. He was bought by the Blitz for R 35000 in the auction and is definitely a player to watch out for at the MSL. He is expected to open the bowling attack for the Blitz alongside Dale Steyn.

Strengths

The Blitz have a strong bowling lineup which consists of famous international bowlers such as Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree, Phehlukwayo who have a good amount of experience playing in T20 leagues. Their presence will also help the youngsters immensely and take the pressure away from the inexperienced players in the first few games.

Weaknesses

The batting lineup has experienced players such as De Kock, Malan and the captain, Behardien himself, but the team lacks a power-hitting all-rounder who can come in and just whack the ball out of the park in the death overs. This is one issue that can really bother the Blitz, considering how important such an all-rounder has become in T20 cricket today.