Major League Cricket 2023 witnessed its final league game of its inaugural season. It was match number 15 as Mumbai Indians New York took on Seattle Orcas. MI New York were all but through as the team from Seattle had already qualified. Kieron Pollard led MI New York needed a win in a bid to qualify for the play-offs as the number 2 team as they had better run rate. In the end Seattle Orcas won a close fought game by 2 wickets thanks to a century by Heinrich Klassen.
Boult turns on his savage mode –
Andrew Tye was entrusted with the task of bowling the last over for the Orcas. Boult was batting on 1 when he got the strike. The Kiwi fast bowler proceeded to hit two back to sixes. The first one was over the long-on boundary and the second was over the deep midwicket fence. Boult, followed it up with a four thanks to an inside edge which flew down to fine leg. The Kiwi ended with 20 not out of mere six balls thanks to his late hitting.
Absolute last over madness from Boutly 🤯 Watch it in its entirety NOW!!!#MajorLeagueCricket | @Betbricks7exch pic.twitter.com/QRplNivMKy
— Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 25, 2023
Pooran’s 68 helps MI New York score 194 –
Dasun Shanaka won the toss and chose to bowl first for the Seattle Orcas. Imad Wasim struck when he had Monank Patel out stumped by De Kock for 2. Shayan Jahangir was out for 19 as Hammad Azam was run out for 2. West Indian duo of Nicolas Pooran and skipper Kieron Pollard then came together.
The pair added 67 runs in 6 overs before Pooran was out Imad Wasim for 68 off 34 balls with 5 fours and 7 sixes. Pollard scored 34 off 18 balls with 1 four and 3 sixes to Harmeet Singh. The left arm spinner also got Tim David for 18 as David Weise scored 19 to help MI New York reach 194.
Klassen stands tall to score a ton and help Orcas win the game –
Chasing 195 to win, Nauman Anwar began well with 51 off 30 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. The MI New York bowlers kept taking wickets at the other end but South African Heinrich Klassen was stead fast. The right hander scored the first ever century in MLC history, as he was not out on 110. His knock came off 44 balls with 9 fours and 7 sixes. Trent Boult then did the trick with the ball with 4/31 in his 4 overs but that wasn’t enough to prevent the Orcas from taking the win by 2 wickets with 4 balls to spare.
The action now moves to the play off games, as Seattle Orcas take on Texas Super Kings in the 1st play off game. MI New York take on Washington Freedom in the 1st elimination. The winner of the game between NY and Washington take on the loser of the Seattle and Texas game in the 2nd challenger game before the final to be played on 30th July at Dallas Texas.