“MI franchises are by no means actually out of the match, till and except the final league‑stage match is performed,” insisted captain Nicholas Pooran as MI New York limped via an uneven season.
On Saturday he obtained emphatic proof. Veteran all‑rounder Kieron Pollard uncorked a classic half‑century and marshaled his troops within the subject to engineer a tense six‑run victory over the Los Angeles Knight Riders, a outcome that every one however locks MI New York into the 2025 Main League Cricket playoffs.
Pollard’s energy play
Despatched in on a tough floor, MI stumbled to 142 for 9 earlier than Pollard imposed order on the chaos. The 37‑12 months‑outdated carved 50 from 36 deliveries, a lone 4 punctuating 4 towering sixes that rattled the mid‑afternoon crowd. With out his counter‑punch, the guests might need folded properly in need of a defendable rating.
Chasing 143, LA’s marquee openers Andre Fletcher and Alex Hales labored for timing, and momentum by no means materialized. Unmukt Chand scratched his solution to a curious 59 off 48 balls earlier than sacrificing himself—retired out—to speed up the pursuit. It scarcely mattered.
Pollard returned for the penultimate over, eradicating Sherfane Rutherford, and left the Knight Riders needing 16 from six balls. Andre Russell and Jason Holder may handle solely 10; MI’s bowlers, immaculate on the dying, clinched the match with room to spare.
Selfless Du Plessis lifts Tremendous Kings
Within the night fixture, the Texas Tremendous Kings routed the Seattle Orcas by 51 runs, delivering MI New York additional consolation within the desk. Skipper Faf du Plessis demonstrated supreme workforce intuition, retiring himself out on 91 off 52 to present his center order the ultimate over. Shubham Ranjane embraced the invitation, ending unbeaten on 65 off 41 and carrying Texas to a formidable 188 for 4.
Seattle’s reply was a well-recognized story of frailty. David Warner and Shayan Jahangir fell early; Kyle Mayers flickered briefly with 35 from 28. The chase, as ever, revolved round Shimron Hetmyer, however when the left‑hander miscued on 26, the innings unraveled. Adam Milne harvested a scientific 5‑for, snatching three wickets in his ultimate over, whereas wrist‑spinner Noor Ahmad and left‑arm orthodox Akeal Hosein shared 4 extra. Bowled out for 137, the Orcas have been left with solely mathematical life.
MI New York now occupy fourth place with three wins from 9 matches and a internet run price of ‑0.399. The Orcas languish one rung decrease at 3‑7 (‑0.1842). For Seattle to sneak into the postseason, Washington Freedom should thrash MI by an implausibly large margin on July 9; any MI victory would arrange a rematch with Washington within the Eliminator. Barring a miracle, Pooran’s pre‑season religion—and Pollard’s late‑season thunder—have carried the blue‑and‑gold to one more knockout berth.
