San Francisco Unicorns sink MI New York in a last-ball thriller to seal playoffs berth

DALLAS: Skipper Corey Anderson’s unbeaten half-century and a combined bowling effort helped San Francisco Unicorns sink MI New York in a thrilling Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 clash at Grand Prairie Stadium on Thursday.

Anderson’s decision to bat first backfired as the Unicorns slipped to 33-5 in seven overs courtesy of Nosthush Kenjige and Trent Boult’s fiery new-ball spell.

However, Anderson and Hassan Khan took their team out of the trouble with a scintillating 87-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Rashid Khan broke the partnership as he castled Hassan Khan after he had scored 44 runs from 35 balls with the help of two boundaries and as many sixes.

Anderson continued the onslaught and scored an unbeaten 59 runs from 37 balls, laced with four boundaries and two sixes to push the team’s total to 148-7 in 20 overs.

For MI New York, Kenjige and Boult took two wickets each, while Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd bagged one each.

While chasing, MI New York lost their first wicket in the second over but recovered with Dewald Brevis’ quick-fire half-century, scoring 56 off 36, featuring five boundaries and three sixes.

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However, after Brevis’ dismissal, MI New York fell off the track and lost wickets in quick succession, slipping to 108-6.

With 41 required off 23, Rashid Khan was joined by Heath Richards and they attempted to force a comeback but the economical bowling by the Unicorns did not allow them to play freely.

The equation came down to 20 required off the last over, which was to be bowled by Haris Rauf, who had given away 19 runs in his first three overs.

Richards hit the first ball for six and the next three balls went for four runs. He struck another six on the penultimate ball, leaving four required off the last ball.

However, Rauf held on to his nerves and got Richards out lbw to win the nail-biting clash for his team.

Matthew Short led the bowling charts with three wickets, while Brody Couch claimed two.

With this victory, San Francisco Unicorns booked their place in the playoffs of the MLC 2024, while MI New York are lying at the fifth position.

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