San Francisco Unicorns Archives

All-round Trent Boult guides MI New York past Unicorns in MLC 2025 Eliminator

DALLAS: Trent Boult delivered a clutch all-round performance to guide MI New York to a thrilling two-wicket win over San Francisco Unicorns in the Eliminator of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 at Grand Prairie Stadium on Wednesday.

The result knocked out the Unicorns, who had started the tournament with six straight wins but stumbled when it mattered most, bowing out with a disappointing finish.

Skipper Nicholas Pooran won the toss and opted to field first, a decision that paid off instantly as MI New York’s bowlers ripped through the Unicorns’ top order, leaving them reeling at 16-5 in 4.2 overs.

Trent Boult and Nosthush Kenjige shared two wickets apiece in the powerplay, while Hassan Khan was run out for a golden duck.

Cooper Connolly tried to halt the collapse with a 19-ball 23 but fell to Tristan Luus just as he began settling in.

The Unicorns found some breathing space through Xavier Bartlett, who counterattacked with a brisk 44 off 24 balls, smashing four sixes and two boundaries to lift the total.

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His resistance ended in the 18th over when Kieron Pollard struck at a crucial moment. Liam Plunkett (7) fell to Rushil Ugarkar soon after, as the Unicorns were bowled out for 131 in 19.1 overs.

Ugarkar was the pick of the bowlers, returning impressive figures of 3 for 19, while Boult and Kenjige finished with two wickets each.

In reply, MI New York got off to a solid start with Monank Patel and Quinton de Kock putting up 43 for the opening stand.

De Kock looked in good touch during his 33 off 24, hitting five boundaries, including a six, before Matthew Short dismissed him. In the same over, Short also removed Pooran for just 1, leaving MI at 45 for 2 at the end of the seventh over.

Despite the twin blows, Michael Bracewell and Monank Patel built a steady third-wicket stand of 36.

But Short returned to break the partnership once again, removing Patel for a composed 33 off 32, which included two sixes.

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That wicket triggered a collapse as MI New York lost five wickets for just 27 runs, slumping from 81-3 to 108-8.

Needing 24 off the last three overs, Boult stepped up with the bat and turned finisher, smashing an unbeaten 22, including two crucial sixes off Hassan Khan, to take MI New York over the line in the final over.

Despite a strong bowling effort that saw him claim four wickets, Hassan Khan’s two sixes to Boult in the death overs proved costly.

Matthew Short was equally effective, finishing with 3 for 22, but couldn’t prevent the Unicorns’ exit.

MI New York will now face Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 2 on July 11. The winner will meet defending champions Washington Freedom in the MLC 2025 final.

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MLC 2025: Fletcher’s ton helps Knight Riders deny Unicorns top-two finish

LAUDERHILL: Andre Fletcher produced a blistering century to end the Los Angeles Knight Riders’ Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 campaign on a high, helping his side defeat San Francisco Unicorns by 11 runs in a high-scoring contest on Sunday.

The bottom-ranked Knight Riders may be out of the tournament, but they ended it with a bang, denying the Unicorns a place in the top two.

Batting first in the rain-affected contest, Los Angeles Knight Riders posted a daunting 243/3 on the back of Fletcher’s breathtaking 118 off 58 balls, his second century this season. His knock featured 10 boundaries and 8 towering sixes.

Fletcher added 94 runs with Alex Hales (58 off 26) for the opening stand before joining forces with Sherfane Rutherford (49 off 28) to pile on the misery for the Unicorns.

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The momentum never dipped, even with a mid-innings rain delay, and Knight Riders set the Unicorns a DLS-adjusted target of 245.

The chase never really took off for the San Francisco Unicorns as debutant Karthik Gattepali made an instant impact, removing Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk in the same over, leaving the Unicorns in tatters at 7-3.

Despite a valiant counterattack from Sanjay Krishnamurthi (92 off 40) and handy contributions from Hassan Khan (35) and Hammad Azam (38), the Unicorns fell short.

Jason Holder’s timely breakthroughs, including the big wicket of Krishnamurthi and Shadley van Schalkwyk’s clutch final over, sealed the deal for LA Knight Riders.

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Needing 18 off the last over, San Francisco Unicorns collapsed under pressure, losing Bartlett (27) and Ben Lister (0) in successive deliveries to fall 11 runs short.

Washington Freedom had earlier defeated MI New York by six wickets, ensuring a top-two finish with 8 wins in 10 games and securing their place in Qualifier 1.

Despite their loss, MI New York also booked an MLC 2025 playoff berth thanks to a superior net run rate over the Seattle Orcas, with both sides tied on three wins apiece.

San Francisco Unicorns, meanwhile, missed out on the Qualifier and will now face MI New York in the Eliminator on July 9. Washington Freedom will clash with Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 1 a day earlier in Dallas.

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MLC 2025: Shimron Hetmyer powers Seattle Orcas past table-toppers San Francisco Unicorns

LAUDERHILL: Shimron Hetmyer continued his red-hot form on Tuesday night as he powered the Seattle Orcas to a crucial win over table-toppers San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Chasing 169 on a sluggish Lauderhill pitch, Seattle were in early trouble at 18 for 2. But Hetmyer stepped in with a stunning 78* off just 37 balls, laced with four boundaries and seven massive sixes, to drag the Orcas over the line with three balls to spare.

It was Seattle’s third straight win after five consecutive losses, and with two games remaining, they now sit firmly in playoff contention.

Earlier, San Francisco Unicorns posted 168/5 after being invited to bat. Despite losing Matthew Short in the opening over, they recovered well in the Powerplay, reaching 51/2.

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Quickfire contributions from Finn Allen (23 off 15) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (35 off 22) set the tone, but Seattle struck back at 62/3.

The middle-order was held together by Sanjay Krishnamurthi, who hammered four sixes in his 28-ball 40, stitching a 57-run partnership with Tim Seifert (31* off 37).

However, Waqar Salamkheil’s timely strikes helped the Orcas pull things back in the death overs.

In response, Seattle’s top order crumbled. Steven Taylor registered a 10-ball duck, Kyle Mayers managed just three, and Xavier Bartlett had the Orcas wobbling at 18/2.

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Shayan Jahangir (36) and Sikandar Raza (11) attempted a brief recovery but fell in quick succession, leaving the chase in disarray at 56/4.

However, Shimron Hetmyer launched his innings with intent, smoking three sixes in his first seven deliveries and refusing to let the required rate climb out of reach.

Even as wickets kept falling at the other end, including the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen (5), Hetmyer kept the scoreboard moving with calculated aggression.

With eight runs needed off the final over, Hetmyer started with a dot but responded in style, smashing a towering six over long-on, followed by a crisp cut through the offside to seal the win.

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MLC 2025: Short, Fraser-McGurk star as San Francisco Unicorns register fifth straight win

DALLAS: Explosive half-centuries from Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk lit up Grand Prairie Stadium as San Francisco Unicorns continued their unbeaten run in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, brushing aside MI New York with a 47-run win on Monday.

Batting first after being put in, the Unicorns unleashed mayhem, piling up a mammoth 246-4 — the second-highest total in MLC history.

It’s worth noting that they already hold the record for the highest, having smashed 269-5 in the opening match of the tournament against Washington Freedom.

Matthew Short set the tone with a brisk 86-run opening stand alongside Tim Seifert (26), before teaming up with Jake Fraser-McGurk for a match-defining partnership.

The duo added 74 runs in just 33 deliveries, completely taking the game away from MI New York.

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Short led from the front with a blazing 91 off 43 balls, hammering nine fours and five sixes. Fraser-McGurk, on the other hand, was even more brutal, smashing 64 off 26 balls, including seven sixes and a four.

Kieron Pollard managed to dismiss both set batters in quick succession, but the damage was already done.

Naveen-ul-Haq then removed Romario Shepherd (2), but Sanjay Krishnamurthi (27*) and Hassan Khan (31*) finished the innings strongly with an unbeaten 49-run partnership in just 20 balls.

Chasing a daunting 247, MI New York got off to a flying start themselves. Quinton de Kock and Monank Patel put on 119 in under 10 overs, threatening to make a real contest of it.

Patel, in particular, was impressive with a 33-ball 60, laced with ten fours and a six. But Liam Plunkett’s breakthrough in the 10th over turned the tide.

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De Kock then combined with skipper Nicholas Pooran to add 40 runs for the second wicket, but the mounting required rate and lack of support from the other end began to build pressure on the South African opener.

Pooran, after a scratchy 15 off 17, was sent back by Haris Rauf, and De Kock followed soon after, falling to Romario Shepherd for a well-made 70 off 46 balls, featuring eight boundaries and two sixes.

With both set batters gone, MI New York lost momentum. No other batter managed to make an impact, with Kieron Pollard being the only one to cross double figures.

Pollard remained unbeaten on 34 off just 16 balls, but it wasn’t enough as MI New York could only manage 199-6 in their 20 overs.

With this dominant win, San Francisco Unicorns maintained their perfect record, making it five wins in five and firmly securing the top spot on the MLC 2025 table.

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MLC 2025: Haris Rauf, Xavier Bartlett star as Unicorns defeat MI New York

OAKLAND: Haris Rauf’s fiery spell and Xavier Bartlett’s unbeaten blitz powered San Francisco Unicorns to a thrilling three-wicket win over MI New York in the sixth match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, held at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday.

Chasing 183 for victory, the Unicorns found themselves in trouble at 42-4 inside the Powerplay.

However, a counter-attacking 64-run stand between Tim Seifert and Hassan Khan brought them back into the contest.

The drama wasn’t over, though, as both set batters departed in quick succession, leaving the chase hanging at 108-6.

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Xavier Bartlett then turned the game on its head with a breathtaking unbeaten knock of 59 off just 25 balls, laced with five towering sixes and four boundaries, as the Unicorns crossed the line with five balls to spare, clinching their third win on the trot in MLC 2025.

Earlier, MI New York posted 182-7 after being put into bat by Unicorns’ skipper Corey Anderson.

Quinton de Kock set the tone with a fluent 63 off 38 balls, smashing five fours and four sixes. But with little support from the other end, his dismissal at 102 slowed down the momentum.

Kieron Pollard chipped in with 30, while Sunny Patel’s unbeaten 20 at the end gave MI New York a fighting total.

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Haris Rauf, continuing his sublime form, picked up 2-25, while Hassan Khan and Carmi le Roux also grabbed two wickets apiece.

In the earlier fixture on the same day, Texas Super Kings outclassed Los Angeles Knight Riders by 57 runs to notch up their second victory in the MLC 2025.

Batting first, the Super Kings posted 181-4 with Daryl Mitchell anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 36 off 33, and Donovan Ferreira providing the late flourish with 32 not out from just 16 deliveries.

The Knight Riders crumbled in response, bowled out for 124 in 17.1 overs, as Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmed spun a web with figures of 4-25. Adam Milne and Stephen Wiig chipped in with two wickets each to seal a comprehensive win.

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Finn Allen rewrites T20 record books with blistering 151 in MLC 2025 opener

OAKLAND: New Zealand’s Finn Allen set Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 alight with a jaw-dropping 151-run knock for San Francisco Unicorns, shattering multiple records during the opening match of the tournament opener on Thursday.

Opening the innings against Washington Freedom, Allen went on an all-out assault, powering the Unicorns to a mammoth 269 for 5.

This score is the highest in MLC history and marks the first time a team has surpassed the 250-run mark in a T20 match played in the United States.

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In response, Washington Freedom folded for a mere 146, handing Unicorns a thumping 123-run win.

Moreover, the Kiwi opener smashed 19 sixes in his innings, setting a new world record for most sixes in a T20 innings. The previous best was 18, jointly held by Chris Gayle (in BPL 2017) and Sahil Chauhan (against Cyprus in 2024).

Finn Allen reached his 150 in just 49 balls, surpassing Dewald Brevis’ record of 52 balls for the fastest 150 in T20s.

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His eventual 151 is now the highest individual score in MLC history, eclipsing Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 137 in the 2023 edition’s final, which, notably, came before the league was granted official T20 status.

He brought up his hundred in 34 balls, making it the second-fastest century in a franchise T20 league, only behind Chris Gayle’s 30-ball ton for RCB in IPL 2013. It also went past Pooran’s 40-ball century in the 2023 MLC final.

In total, Allen scored 134 runs in boundaries, including 114 via sixes alone, a boundary dominance bettered by only three other players in T20 history.

READ: MLC 2025: Finn Allen’s 151 powers San Francisco Unicorns to victory

MLC 2025: Finn Allen’s 151 powers San Francisco Unicorns to victory

OAKLAND: Finn Allen played a fiery 151-run knock to power San Francisco Unicorns to a thumping victory over Washington Freedom in the opening match of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 at the Oakland Coliseum here on Thursday.

Washington Freedom skipper Glenn Maxwell invited the Unicorns to bat first after the coin flipped in his favour.

Jack Edwards provided the first breakthrough to defending champions as he dismissed Tim Seifert (18) in the third over.

Jake Fraser-McGurk (6) came out to bat and was involved in a one-sided 37-run stand with Allen before falling prey to Saurabh Netravalkar.

Allen was joined by Sanjay Krishnamurthi, and together they turned the game on its head, smashing 88 runs off 37 balls for the third-wicket partnership.

Krishnamurthi played a 36-run knock from 20 balls with the help of 1 four and four consecutive sixes against Rachin Ravindra. He was removed by Ian Holland in the 12th over with 153 runs on the board.

Allen maintained his aggressive approach and scored his century in just 34 balls, making it the fastest century in MLC history.

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He didn’t stop there; he also reached 150 runs in 49 balls, hitting his 19th six of the innings. This achievement set a new record for the most sixes in a single innings.

Mitchell Owen finally ended Allen’s fiery knock, getting him out on 151 on the first ball of the 18th over.

Hassan Khan then played a quick-fire cameo of 38*, laced with three fours and three sixes, to take the team’s total to 269-5 in their allocated 20 overs.

Washington Freedom’s bowling card was topped by Jack Edwards, who returned with figures of 2-39, while Netravalkar, Owen and Holland chipped in with one wicket each.

While chasing a mammoth target, Mitchell Owen and Rachin Ravindra put together an impressive 80-run opening partnership off just 32 balls, setting the stage for an exciting match.

Unfortunately, both batters were dismissed in consecutive overs, causing the Freedom to lose momentum in their run chase.

Liam Plunkett dismissed the dangerous Ravindra in the sixth over; Ravindra scored 42 runs off 17 balls, hitting two fours and five sixes.

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In the following over, Owen, who contributed 39 runs from 20 balls, was run out, leaving the team struggling at 97-2 in 6.4 overs.

Washington Freedom failed to recover from this, losing six wickets in three overs and falling to 117 for 8 in just 9.5 overs.

Haris Rauf took two crucial wickets in the eighth over, dismissing Glenn Maxwell for 5 runs and Glenn Phillips for a duck, which worsened Freedom’s situation.

In the following over, Hassan Khan then continued the onslaught by getting rid of Andries Gous for 2 runs and Jack Edwards for 21 runs in the next over.

Meanwhile, Carmi le Roux claimed the wickets of Obus Pienaar (2) and Mukhtar Ahmed (1) to further dent any chances of recovery.

Rauf and Khan added one wicket each to their tally as they bundled Washington Freedom for a meagre 146, handing a 123-run victory to San Francisco Unicorns.

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Haris Rauf signs with San Francisco Unicorns for third MLC season

Pakistan’s tearaway quick Haris Rauf is all set to light up the American cricket scene once again, as he officially signs with the San Francisco Unicorns for the upcoming 2025 season of Major League Cricket (MLC).

The franchise confirmed Rauf’s return with a fiery post on social media, captioned: “HARIS HAS ARRIVED 🔥💪 Our superstar pace bowler is back.”

Despite a forgettable 2024 campaign, where he picked up just four wickets in nine games, averaging 73.50 with an economy of 9.09, the Unicorns have decided to back the 31-year-old speedster for another season.

Haris Rauf, who has plied his trade in top-tier leagues like the Big Bash League (BBL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), and The Hundred, now heads into his third consecutive MLC season.

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With cricket steadily finding its feet in the United States, Rauf’s presence adds star power to a league that’s still in its growth phase but generating plenty of buzz.

The San Francisco Unicorns, a franchise based in California and backed by a passionate South Asian community, have been proactive in building a competitive squad through high-profile signings, and Rauf’s pace will be key to their ambitions this year.

The 2025 edition of Major League Cricket kicks off on June 13, with the final scheduled for July 14.

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Washington Freedom crush San Francisco Unicorns to win MLC 2024 title

DALLAS: Steve Smith scored a swashbuckling half-century and led Washington Freedom to crush San Francisco Unicorns by 96 runs and win the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 here on Sunday.

Unicorns’ captain Corey Anderson’s decision to bowl first after winning the coin toss backfired as the Freedom registered a mammoth total of 207/5 on the board.

The Freedom, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as their explosive opener Travis Head (9) perished in the second over with just 11 runs on the board.

But in-form Steve Smith remained firm and dominated the Unicorns’ bowlers with exceptional hitting.

The right-handed batter oversaw Unicorns’ innings until his dismissal in the 17th over.

Steve Smith had an agonizing end to his brilliant knock as he fell short of a well-deserved century, scoring 88 off 52 deliveries, peppered with seven fours and six sixes.

Smith was involved in an important fourth-wicket partnership with Glenn Maxwell, which yielded 83 runs.

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Maxwell walked back to the pavilion in the 18th over after scoring a 22-ball 40.

Later, Mukhtar Ahmed (19) and Obus Pienaar (13) gave final touches to Washington Freedom’s innings.

Pat Cummins bagged two wickets for the Unicorns while Hassan Khan, Haris Rauf and Juanoy Drysdale made one scalp each.

Chasing a daunting total, the Unicorns never got going and eventually bundled out on 111 in 16 overs.

Carmi le Roux remained the top-scorer for the Unicorns with a 19-ball 20, followed by Josh Inglis (18).

Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra bagged three wickets each while Andrew Tye claimed two. Saurabh Netravalkar and Maxwell chipped in with a wicket apiece.

For his match-winning half-century, Steve Smith was adjudged the Player of the Match in the MLC 2024 final.

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Ton-up Allen powers Unicorns into MLC 2024 final as Super Kings falter

DALLAS: Finn Allen’s quickfire century was enough to propel San Francisco Unicorns into the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 final as Texas Super Kings fell short by 10 runs in the Challenger here at Grand Prairie Stadium on Friday.

Super Kings’ captain Faf du Plessis’ decision to put Unicorns into bat first did not turn out to be beneficial for his side as they registered a massive total on the board.

The Unicorns finished their innings at 200/6 in the allotted 20 overs with Allen leading the charge with a quick hundred.

The New Zealand international went after the Super Kings’ bowlers from the word go and went on to smash nine fours and five sixes amid his sensational knock that lasted in the 14th over.

Finn Allen remained the top-scorer for the Unicorns with a 53-ball 101.

Wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis then made sure to keep the momentum going in the Unicorns’ favour with a brisk cameo.

All-rounder Hassan Khan supported Inglis as the two shared an important 34-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Inglis perished in the penultimate over after a 25-ball 37 while Khan made an unbeaten 27 off 15 deliveries.

Noor Ahmad was the pick of the bowlers for the Super Kings, picking up three wickets while Ottneil Baartman, Marcus Stoinis and Mohammad Mohsin made one scalp each.

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In response, the Super Kings could manage 190/4 in their quota of 20 overs despite a flying start.

Their skipper du Plessis smashed the Unicorns’ bowlers all around the ground right from the start and gave his side a solid platform to chase down the total.

But a stunning catch from Corey Anderson off Carmi le Roux drew curtains on his blazing knock in the fifth over with 55 runs on the board.

Faf du Plessis scored 45 off just 22 deliveries, hitting seven fours and a six.

His dismissal pushed the Super Kings to the backfoot as the scoring rate slowed down.

The home side lost three more wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 91/4 at the halfway mark.

Conway, who batted cautiously until that point, finally received some support from the other end in the form of Joshua Tromp.

The duo fought valiantly in the concluding phase of the match but despite putting up a hundred runs amid their unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership, failed to steer the Super Kings over the line.

Conway remained the top-scorer for the Super Kings with a gritty 62 off 38 deliveries, laced up with four fours and two sixes while Tromp made 56 not out in just 36 balls.

Juanoy Drysdale led the bowling attack for the Unicorns with two wickets while Hassan Khan and Carmi le Roux chipped in with a wicket apiece.

San Francisco Unicorns will face Washington Freedom in the MLC 2024 final, scheduled to take place at the same venue on Sunday.

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