In a star-studded Major League Cricket (MLC 2025), a spinner from the West Indies has been stealing the spotlight. Akeal Hosein's game-turning performance earned Texas Super Kings a heroic win against MI New York. In this encounter, when other bowlers of Super Kings were leaking at least 10 runs per over, Hosein offered a lower than 4.00 economy rate and claimed 3 wickets as well. After the standout performance, cricket fans want to know more about the Trinidad-born cricketer.

 A social media post of Akeal recently caught cricket lovers eyes. In that post, he labelled star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as his idol. With a photo of Jadeja, the talented spinner wrote, "One day... I'd like to become a player like him." 

Jadeja, now 36, has for years served Team India as one of the most prolific members of the squad. Throughout his career, spanning nearly two decades, he decorated his profile with multiple trophies. Not only as a spinner, Jadeja's batting in the lower order proved useful on multiple occasions. In India's 2013 Champions Trophy win, Jadeja finished as the leading wicket-taker, with 12 wickets, two of those in the final, where he also made an unbeaten 33.

Akeal Hosein manifested to perform like Ravindra Jadeja. 💛 pic.twitter.com/jeXokCE3Vo

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 30, 2025

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Akeal's 4-over spell change the script of the match

In this season's MLC, Akeal Hosein has so far played two matches for Texas Super Kings and taken 5 wickets with a staggering economy rate of 3.57. A three-wicket spell came last night against New York.

Batting first, TSK scored 223 runs in exchange for 4 wickets. MI had no option but to play some big shots from the beginning of their innings. They were executing their plan well until Akeal joined the party to spoil it. He took wickets and held down the run rate. In the end, TSK won the match by 39 runs.

In Match 21 of Major League Cricket (MLC) Season 2025, the Texas Super Kings faced MI New York at Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas. MI New York won the toss and elected to field first, but it turned out to be a poor decision, as Texas combined a brilliant batting performance with an equally good bowling performance to walk away with a 39-run victory.

Texas Super Kings Innings

Texas Super Kings batted first and made a dominating score of 223/4 in their 20 overs. Faf du Plessis, the captain, opened the innings in style and took his team forward with a brilliant hundred—103 off only 53 balls in a display of masterly strokes. Donovan Ferreira provided him good support, hitting a brisk 53 off a mere 20 deliveries. Saiteja Mukkamalla contributed a useful 25 from 18 balls. Despite the batting barrage, MI New York was able to take four wickets, with George Linde (2/42) and Rushil Ugarkar (2/47) picking the wickets.

MI New York Innings

In response, MI New York could not quite overhaul the rate of asking and managed 184/9 in their 20 overs. Kieron Pollard kept them in contention with a muscular 70 off 39 balls, while Quinton de Kock (35 off 25) and Michael Bracewell (26 off 20) contributed in quick but crucial fashion. Texas bowling was tight and penetrative, with the pick of the bowlers being Akeal Hosein, who took 3/15 from his 4-over spell. Nandre Burger and Marcus Stoinis both ended with the same figures of 2/40 and 2/43 respectively, doing a good job of closing off the MI chase.

See Also: MLC 2025: Points Table, leading run scorers and wicket takers after TEX vs NY Match 21

Texas Super Kings vs MI New York: Match Scorecard

Texas Super Kings – 223/4 (20 Overs)

MI New York – 184/9 (20 Overs)

A dream delivery to knock out the middle stump, probably so far arguably the best delivery of the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC 2025). Akeal Hosein produced a magic delivery to dismiss Nitish Kumar, the batter of LA Knight Riders (LAKR).

In the ongoing campaign, Knight Riders is still in search of their best form. Out of five MLC 2025 matches, the purple brigade tasted only one victory and lost on 4 occasions. The absolute jaffa from Akeal Hosein shocked everyone on the field. In the fifth delivery of the second over, the spinner dropped the ball in the good length area, well outside off.

The new ball turned right by inches. The right-handed batsman clearly did not expect that amount of spin. Kumar was on his back toe, locked, and the ball went straight to hit the middle stumps. Nitish Kumar went back to the pavilion with a golden duck. Hosein also took the wicket of the dangerous opener Alex Hales. Hales departed after scoring only 5 off 6 deliveries.

Read More: TSK VS LAS Major League Cricket 2025:live streaming details where to watch

Super Kings was way better than Knight Riders in the game

With early strikes in the innings, the LA Knight Riders were 2 down with 10 runs on the scoreboard. Batting first, the Texas Super Kings scored 196 for 8 in their 20-over quota. To chase down the target, the team from LA needed a flying start at the beginning of the second inning. But Akeal's spin did not allow the opponent batters to do so. With a lack of a solid partnership and well short of the asking run rate, LA Knight Riders reached 144 after losing 7 wickets in 20 overs.

Super Kings won the match by 52 runs. The West Indies international spinner produced a standout figure of 3-0-10-2 with only a 3.33 economy rate. 

Watch the unplayable delivery here

Akeal Hosein is on FIRE 🔥 Was this the ball of the tournament? 💥 pic.twitter.com/1uScSuVfIs

— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) June 25, 2025

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 is all set to begin on April 11, and the Quetta Gladiators are looking to start fresh with a new captain, Saud Shakeel. The calm and talented left-handed batter will be leading a new-look team that wants to leave behind the ups and downs of the past few seasons. The tournament will begin with a big match between Islamabad United, the defending champions, and Lahore Qalandars, who have won the title twice.

In the league stage, each of the six teams will play 10 matches, facing every other team twice in a double round-robin format. After the group stage, the top four teams will move on to the Playoffs, which will take place from May 13 to May 18. The Gladiators will kick off their season against Peshawar Zalmi. With Saud Shakeel as captain, the Quetta Gladiators are hoping for a change in fortunes in the 10th season of PSL.

Saud Shakeel Known for his calmness under pressure and making smart decisions in tough situations, Shakeel has become an important player in Pakistan’s Test team. Now, he’ll look to lead from the front in the PSL Quetta Gladiators team, both with the bat and with his leadership. The Quetta Gladiators have a good mix of experienced players and exciting young players in the 10th season of PSL.

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Finn Allen brings power-hitting at the top order for Quetta Gladiators, and Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis add strength in the middle order for Quetta Gladiators. In the bowling, spinner Abrar Ahmad and Akeal Hosein will be key bowlers, especially in the slower pitches. All in all, Quetta looks ready for a promising season in the 10 seasons of PSL.

Quetta Gladiators' strongest playing XI

Finn Allen is a right-handed opening batter known for his fearless hitting in the powerplay. He's expected to give Quetta fast starts by attacking early and making the most of field restrictions. Even quick-fire innings of 30–40 runs at a high strike rate can shift the momentum in just a few overs.

Saud Shakeel (c) is a control and calm batter to the top order in the team. While others go big, his role is to hold things together, keep the scoreboard ticking, and guide the innings. He’s there to anchor, rotate the strike, and make sure the team doesn’t lose quick wickets.

Rilee Rossouw is a left-handed middle-order batter known for his quick scoring in the tough times, and if the team needs, he can play according to the situation. He’s the kind of player who can turn a game around, especially in the middle overs. With his experience, he’s expected to keep the pressure on the opposition team and guide the team in tight situations.

Khawaja Nafay is a right-handed batter with solid technique and quick hands. As Quetta’s uncapped pick, he has a big chance to make a name for himself. He’ll be expected to play smartly in the middle overs, keep the runs ticking, and chip in with a few big shots when needed. A strong showing could lift both his team and his career.

Kusal Mendis (wk) is a right-handed batter and wicketkeeper known for his mass stroke-play in the middle of the game. In the middle order, he can play steady innings or go big when the team needs, depending on the situation. With the gloves, he’ll play a key role in keeping.

Faheem Ashraf is a left-handed batter and right-arm pace all-rounder who brings balance to the team in this 10th season. He can smash quick runs at the end and he can bowl if the team needs. Whether it’s steadying the innings or picking up key wickets, Faheem is a handy option in pressure moments.

Mohammad Wasim Jr is a right-arm fast-bowling all-rounder with extreme pace and a fearless attitude in tough situations. He’s the team’s key bowler. He will able to bowl at any point and take crucial wickets. With the bat, he’s a powerful hitter who can finish games and turn the tide in close chases.

Akeal Hosein is a left-arm spinner who bowls tight lengths in crucial times, especially in the powerplay overs. He’s known for his accuracy and smart variations in every game, making it hard for batters to score freely, whether it’s early wickets or excellent spells in crucial over.

Mohammad Amir is a Left-arm Fast bowler, a master of swing and variations. Mohammad Amir brings both experience and skill to the bowling. With his ability to move the new ball sharply, he is expected to open the attack and bowl two incisive overs early on, targeting quick breakthroughs.

Abrar Ahmad is a crucial player in the middle overs for his team, especially with his right-arm mystery spin. His role is specifically designed to bowl tight and get the opposition in trouble by picking key wickets in the middle overs, thereby preventing the batting side from building partnerships.

Mohammad Zeeshan brings extreme pace and natural bounce to his team. By using his height, he can generate pace and bounce, making life difficult for batters. As a local youngster, Zeeshan is expected to bowl with intensity and aggression. If utilized effectively as a first-change or death-over bowler, he has the potential to surprise many with his sharp bounce and pinpoint accuracy.

Quetta Gladiators Probable XI:

Finn Allen, Saud Shakeel (c), Rilee Rossouw, Khawaja Nafay, Kusal Mendis (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmad, Mohammad Zeeshan

With the series hanging in the balance, both West Indies and India were poised for an enthralling contest. The series had witnessed a slew of exceptional individual displays, and the onus rested on the players to excel in the decisive match. Amidst several standout performances, such as Surya Kumar Yadav’s splendid 61, Pooran’s swift and impactful 47, and Shepard’s astute execution in the death overs, it was Akeal Hosein’s impactful spell and Brandon King’s impeccably paced innings that turned out to be pivotal. Their contributions culminated in West Indies clinching a historic triumph – their first-ever T20 bilateral series victory against India. This victory also signifies their first series win against India in a span of 17 years.

In the following article, we will assess Akeal Hosein’s pitch map to analyze his landing areas and delve into Brandon King’s repertoire of shots.

Akeal Hosein’s Powerplay Prowess

Also read: India Equalizes Series Against West Indies on the Back of Kuldeep’s Outstanding Form and a Youthful Opening Duo – Cricket Winner

While Romario Shepard, with his cunning variations picked up 4 wickets in the death overs, it was Akeal Hosein’s early wickets which were body blows for team India. The latter has been a common sight for the West Indies during powerplays, consistently showcasing his skills. He’s bagged 13 wickets at an economy of 8.1 in this phase, which is quite good. His strength lies in his arm ball, a delivery that moves in the air, playing with the batsmen’s minds, even though he doesn’t rely heavily on variations.

He generally bowled more to the right-handed batters, but he started off his spell against the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal. He kept things very tight and bowled a stump-to-stump line. While he bowled a bit fuller initially, the batter was comfortable with this length. Hosein immediately changed his length and bowled it a bit shorter on the off stump to get some turn, which ultimately reaped the reward.

To the right handers, he focused more on the good length (42%) regions in order to generate a bit of turn and bounce. But he indeed possessed a wonderful variation with his lengths when he trapped Gill leg before wicket by bowling a slightly fullish length delivery, inducing him to the sweep shot. With respect to his variations, he bowled 9 arm balls and picked up his 2 wickets while he bowled 13 stock length deliveries with no wickets, but he maintained a firm grip on the scoring rate.

Brandon King’s impeccably paced knock

Brandon King has been a regular for West Indies in the last few years. He usually provides good starts, but he has issues in converting them into big scores. But his recent knock against India was a much-needed knock and it couldn’t have come at a better instance.

The graph above illustrates King’s shot selection throughout his innings, revealing a well-rounded array of strokes. Notably, his standout shot was the front foot drive, contributing around 31% of his total runs. Furthermore, he demonstrated competence in employing the front foot slog (15%) and exhibited an intent to advance down the track against spinners, resulting in approximately 17% of his runs being garnered through this approach.

While the majority of his shots were executed from a front-foot position, he also effectively employed back-foot play, accounting for nearly 25 percent of his total runs scored using this technique. Brandon King’s only challenge arose when facing the Chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav, as he managed to accumulate just 5 runs from the 11 deliveries. This is an aspect which he will be aiming to address and improve upon in the future.