MLC 2025 Eliminator: MI New York move on to Challenger beating Unicorns by 2 wickets

MI New York progressed to the Challenger stage in MLC 2025, by beating the San Francisco Unicorns by just 2 wickets in a thrilling Eliminator match, at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas

Match Summary

San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York, Eliminator (3v4),

San Francisco Unicorns 131/10 (19.1 ov)

MI New York 132/8 (19.3 ov)

Result - MI New York won by 2 wickets

SCORECARD

Runrate

Match Analysis

Trent Boult is widely known for his death-bowling mastery in T20 cricket over the years. However, it was his critical cameo with the bat at the Grand Prairie Stadium that ultimately got MI New York over the line by 2 wickets in a nervy run-chase against San Francisco Unicorns tonight.

Having been set a below-par 132 in a rain-affected eliminator, MI New York were heading stably in pursuit, as they concluded the powerplay on 37 without any losses. However, Matthew Short got the Unicorns off the mark in the wickets column, sending back a fluent Quinton de Kock and skipper Nicholas Pooran in his second over to reignite hope in his camp.

Losing his partners in quick succession, Monank Patel slowed down to stabilize the chase with Michael Bracewell at the other end. But his resistance was short-lived, as Short came back to dismiss him for a cautious 33 off the first delivery in his third over.

With 40 needed at almost a run-a-ball, Xavier Bartlett struck a timely blow, sending MI New York’s premier striker Kieron Pollard back to the dressing room as the Unicorns started to believe they could turn the tide. That belief was strengthened when Hassan Khan delivered a remarkable over, accounting for Michael Bracewell and Heath Richards off successive deliveries, as MI New York slid further into trouble at 98/6, needing 34 off the last five overs.

Hassan did not stop there. The left-arm spinner delivered another double-strike over in his next, getting rid of New York’s last recognized pair—Tajinder Singh and Tristan Luus—leaving them in tatters at 108/8, with 24 still required and the tail exposed.

While San Francisco Unicorns needed just two more wickets to complete a remarkable turnaround, Trent Boult built a vital 9th-wicket partnership with Nosthush Kenjige in a final show of resistance. Hassan Khan had positioned the Unicorns well for a place in the second qualifier, but it was Boult’s decisive back-to-back maximums over long-on in his final over that eventually denied them that distinction.

Earlier in the evening, before they took their team home, a devastating opening spell by the Boult-Kenjige pair derailed the San Francisco Unicorns’ top order in the powerplay. Kenjige started the demolition by dismissing the destructive Matthew Short in his first over. Trent Boult quickly joined the party by having Tim Seifert caught behind before Sanjay Krishnamurthi became Kenjige’s second scalp. The barrage of wickets worsened for the Unicorns when Boult sent their strong middle-order hitters Jake Fraser-McGurk and Hassan Khan back to the pavillion off successive deliveries, leaving them reeling at 21/5 at the end of 5 overs.

Cooper Connolly (23 off 19), Hammad Azam (11 off 18), and Brody Couch (19 off 18) ticked along the scoreboard for a while to save face for the Unicorns before Rushil Ugarkar got both Azam and Couch out in a tidy spell.

Xavier Bartlett, coming in at number 7, played the only notable knock for his team, hitting 4 maximums in a 24-ball 44 before the San Francisco Unicorns were all out for 131 in 19.3 overs.

Trent Boult’s powerplay wickets and calm nerves in the chase earned him a deserving Player of the Match award. The experienced Kiwi contender kept his cool when it mattered most as he steered MI New York over the line to set up a Qualifier 2 clash against Texas Super Kings on Friday evening.

MI NEW YORK'S MOVING ON TO THE CHALLENGER ?? pic.twitter.com/b7du2gIgE4 — Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 10, 2025

Match Stats

San Francisco Unicorns Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Matthew Short - 1.4 ov), 2-9 (Tim Seifert - 2.1 ov), 3-16 (Sanjay Krishnamurthy - 3.6 ov), 4-16 (Jake Fraser-McGurk - 4.1 ov), 5-16 (Hassan Khan - 4.2 ov), 6-42 (Cooper Connolly - 8.5 ov), 7-62 (Hammad Azam - 11.4 ov), 8-121 (Brody Couch - 16.6 ov), 9-121 (Xavier Bartlett - 17.1 ov), 10-131 (Liam Plunkett - 19.1 ov)

MI New York Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Quinton De Kock - 6.2 ov), 2-45 (Nicholas Pooran - 6.6 ov), 3-81 (Monank Patel - 12.1 ov), 4-92 (Kieron Pollard - 13.4 ov), 5-98 (Michael Bracewell - 14.4 ov), 6-98 (Heath Richards - 14.5 ov), 7-107 (Tajinder Singh - 16.2 ov), 8-108 (Tristan Luus - 16.5 ov)

Worm

Playing XI

San Francisco Unicorns

MI New York

Match Details:

Date: Thursday, July 10, 2025 01:00

Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas

Toss: MI New York elected to bowl

Umpires: Billy Taylor (USA) Leslie Reifer (West Indies) Paul Wilson (Australia TV)

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)

© Cricket World 2025

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