MLC 2025 Eliminator: MI New York edge past San Francisco Unicorns in a close match

In a do-or-die clash, MI New York won the toss and chose to bowl first against the San Francisco Unicorns. The Unicorns didn’t get off to a great start and kept losing wickets regularly. Only Xavier Bartlett showed some fight, smashing a quick 44 off 24 balls. Cooper Connolly (23 off 19) and Brody Couch (19 off 18) gave some support, but the rest of the batting didn’t click.

MI New York’s bowlers were disciplined throughout the innings. Rushil Ugarkar stood out with an excellent spell of 3 for 19 in just over three overs. Trent Boult and Nosthush Kenjige chipped in with two wickets each as San Francisco were bowled out for just 131 in 19.1 overs. The chase wasn’t easy for MI either. Quinton de Kock gave a strong start with 33 from 24 balls, and Monank Patel added another 33 off 32, openers gave their start. But things got tense in the middle when they lost quick wickets and the game suddenly opened up.

San Francisco’s Hassan Khan bowled beautifully, taking 4 wickets for 30 runs. Matthew Short also kept things tight, picking up 3 for 22. But just when things looked tough for MI, Trent Boult stepped up once again this time with the bat hitting a valuable 22 off 13 balls to take his team home.

MI New York finished at 132 for 8 in 19.3 overs and won the match by 2 wickets in the very crucial game. With this thrilling win, MI New York moved into the Challenger and kept their hopes alive in the tournament. Sadly for San Francisco Unicorns, their season ended here, despite a strong run in the league stage.

ALSO READ: MLC 2025, Eliminator: San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York full match highlights

Twitter reactions after MINY wins Eliminator match of MLC 2025

Lmao MINY cooked SFU 😭🤣🤣🤣

So far the best team of tournament got bundled out by a tema that won only 3 games out of 10 😭😭#MLC2025 #MLC pic.twitter.com/37umFgCDbA

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) July 10, 2025

4 wickets inside the PP
MINY unleashed their prime form in Knock Outs#MLC2025 #MLC pic.twitter.com/y2rjTww8vL

— Mumbai Indians FC (@MIPaltanFamily) July 10, 2025

MINY infact Trent Boult pulled off a absolute stunner.

MI NY survive absolute collapse and heading to Qualifier 2.#MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/OxQZMeIPY8

— SRG (@TweetbySRG) July 10, 2025

✅ MINY win in a thriller and qualify for the challenger!

📺 Watch live and exclusive on https://t.co/BzgRU9yN35#SFUvMINY | #MajorLeagueCricket|#MLC pic.twitter.com/cemVXDSJHs

— Willow TV US (@willowtv) July 10, 2025

MINY was 8 wicket gone and they need 21 off 12 still won , Boult won for MINY he smashed 2 six to hasan khan and MINY won in eliminator 💔 pic.twitter.com/fsiE7UaF66

— Satyajit (@duary_satyajit) July 10, 2025

Wow, Trent Boult! First time MINY beat a higher placed team in the season and the first win against Unicorns across three editions. And what a time to do it - the Eliminator. Sad way for Unicorns to exit after winning their first six games. #MLC2025

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) July 10, 2025

What a match. MINY win with just three balls to go. I thought 131 would have been caught easily but it was a fight to the end. https://t.co/X4b4geyadQ

— x- Maxx Grisz (@dagriszlybear) July 10, 2025

A major controversy sparked debate among fans and game lovers when Matthew Short fired a dead delivery to batter Michael Bracewell during the eliminator of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. San Francisco Unicorns and MI New York met each other on July 10, after the former finished in the third position of the points table while New York was in fourth.

The incident happened on the very first ball of the ninth over. The New York side was comfortable in their chase at 49/2 as the left-handed batter, Michael Bracewell, got ready to face the part-time off-spin of Matthew Short, the captain of the Unicorns. It wasn’t a great evening for the side, which couldn’t handle the pressure of the eliminator with the bat.

SEE ALSO: Know Shubman Gill's preparation ahead of Eng vs Ind Lord's Test

Short tried to fire the ball into the leg side of the southpaw, but on his way to the delivery, the ball slipped out of his hands and flew in the air before ending in the backward point region. The batter had no clue of the entire incident as the umpires called the ball dead. Short went back to his bowling mark with a huge smile on his face as the commentators addressed the incident as ‘spot the ball challenge.’

Watch: Matthew Short’s dead-ball drama stuns MLC 2025

The league had its flaws from the start of the season. The fourth-placed side, MI New York, secured their qualification despite winning just three group-stage encounters in 10 fixtures, with a net run-rate of -0.518. They now faced the third-positioned team, which had seven victories in 10 encounters, boasting a net run-rate of +1.330.

What’s happening there, Matt? 😂 pic.twitter.com/MlmV7My72k

— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 10, 2025

Put into bat first, the Unicorns got bundled out for just 131 runs on the board in 19.1 overs. At one point, they were 62/7 in the 12th over. Only Copper Connolly had a double-digit score of 23 besides his name among the top six before Xavier Bartlett displayed his power with the bat, thanks to 44 runs in 24 balls. Trent Boult was excellent with 2/19, while Rushil Ugarkar finished with 3/19.

The chase was not a cakewalk for the New York side. Even after a 43-run opening stand, they kept losing wickets regularly, and their struggling middle order put more pressure on them. Hasan Khan picked 4/30 while Matthew Short, along with his dead-ball stunner, picked 3/22. However, Boult’s unbeaten 22 runs in 13 balls with two sixes in the 19th completed the job.

The Eliminator match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 between San Francisco Unicorns (SF) and MI New York (NY) will be held at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas, at 5:30 AM IST on Thursday, July 10, 2025. the Unicorns Led by Matthew Short, have been one of the more consistent teams, clinching seven wins in the league stage. Their strong form makes them favorites heading into this knockout clash. On the other hand, MI New York Led by Nicholas Pooran, had a mixed season with just three wins from 10 games. They’ll be desperate to rise to the occasion and stay alive in the tournament. Both sides will look to deliver a high-stakes performance to keep their title hopes alive. The winner progresses to the Challenger, while the loser is eliminated.

This early morning match will offer exciting T20 cricket to a crazed audience in the MLC's Dallas stint. With a crowd capacity of 7,000 under floodlights, the ground is ideal for today’s game. SF has a commanding head-to-head record; however, NY is eager to turn the tables. The turf pitch will greatly favor batting early on, yet as the match progresses, spinners will be in the spotlight.

See Also: 'A Player to Take Over from the Fab Four' – Former England cricketer praise on Shubman Gill after ENG vs IND Edgbaston Test series

Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium Stats

The pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium is expected to be tougher for the bowlers. The teams have been able to cross the 200-run mark on a consistent basis, and it is expected to be the same in the upcoming game. The team winning the toss will look to bowl first at this venue.

• Total Matches: 40
  
• Matches Won Batting First: 48%
  
• Matches Won Batting Second: 53%
  
• Average 1st Innings Score: 178
  
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 158
• Highest Total: 246/4 by SF vs NY
• Lowest Total: 50/10 by LAS vs NY
  
• Highest Chase: 238/7 by SEA vs NY
  
• Lowest Defended: 181/6 by TEX vs LAS
  

SF vs NY: Head-to-Head Record

San Francisco Unicorns and MI New York have played against each other four times since the initiation of MLC, with SF winning all four and NY yet to secure a win, to make the game very close. These four matches have proved SF's dominance over NY. This fifth meeting at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium is going to be tough and filled with likely surprises.

• Total Matches: 4
  
• SF Wins: 4
  
• NY Wins: 0
• No Result: 0

Win %: San Francisco Unicorns – 100% (4/4), MI New York – 0% (0/4)

The San Francisco Unicorns have been dealt a significant blow before the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) playoffs, with star pacer Haris Rauf being out for the rest of the tournament with a Grade 1 hamstring injury.

The 31-year-old pacer developed the injury when the Unicorns won over the Texas Super Kings in their recent match. Rauf was replaced from the game and an MRI test confirmed the strain. The medical staff of the franchise consulted the medical director of the league and subsequently kept him out of the playoffs.

Rauf has been one of the top performers in the tournament this year. He is currently the top wicket-taker in the MLC 2025 with 17 wickets from eight games, taking several match-winning spells for the Unicorns. His loss is a major setback as the team heads into the business end of the tournament.

Confirming the news on social media, the Unicorns tweeted: “We’re with you, Haris. The San Francisco Unicorns can confirm Haris Rauf will miss the remainder of #MLC2025 with a hamstring injury, with New Zealand pace bowler Ben Lister to replace him, effective immediately.”

ALSO SEE: [WATCH] ENG vs IND: Fan singing tribute song for Akash Deep outside Edgbaston Test

Ben Lister Replaces Injured Rauf as Unicorns Eye Playoff Berth

The franchise has appointed Ben Lister as a replacement for Rauf for the rest of the tournament. Lister, a 29-year-old left-arm New Zealand pacer, has the much-needed international experience, having represented his country in 12 T20Is. Lister is renowned for his control of the new ball and death-over variations. He has been with the team for the last fortnight training with the team and is match-fit.

The timing of the injury is concerning for Pakistan supporters too, since Rauf is also set to miss the T20I series against Bangladesh, from July 20 in Dhaka. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has still not made an official announcement regarding his rehabilitation schedule.

The Unicorns will face the LA Knight Riders in their last league-stage encounter on July 6 at Broward County Stadium. They will gain a top-two standing and a direct qualification to the Qualifier with a victory. But now, they have to tackle that challenge without their leading wicket-taker.

Los Angeles Knight Riders won an exciting match against San Francisco Unicorns by 11 runs (DLS method) at Central Broward Park in Lauderhill. They batted first and put up a huge score that put the Unicorns under big pressure. Even though the Unicorns tried hard to chase it down, rain changed the target and they fell just short in the end.

The Knight Riders batted first and scored 243 runs for 3 wickets in 19 overs. Andre Fletcher was brilliant with 118 runs from 58 balls. Alex Hales also hit quick runs with 58 from 26 balls. Sherfane Rutherford added 49 from 28 balls. San Francisco’s bowlers kept trying. Karima Gore, Hassan Khan, and Xavier Bartlett took one wicket each.

Chasing a big DLS target, the Unicorns fought well but were all out for 233 in 18.5 overs. Sanjay Krishnamurthy played a superb innings, scoring 92 from 40 balls. Hammad Azam scored 38 and Hassan Khan hit 35 to keep the game alive.

But the target was tough, and the Knight Riders’ bowlers held their nerve. Karthik Gattepalli took 3 wickets for 31 runs. Jason Holder and Shadley van Schalkwyk took 2 wickets each to help seal the win. It was a thrilling game with lots of big hitting and good bowling. In the end, the Knight Riders did enough to win and take the points.

ALSO READ: MLC 2025, Match 29: Washington Freedom vs MI New York full match highlights

Twitter reactions after LAKR wins 30th match of MLC 2025

Literally had zero hopes with LAKR but they knocked out the best team of the tournament 💥🔥

We are lifting the trophy baby 🏆💛#MLC #MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/wrMtGgl4RF

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) July 7, 2025

Defending 244, LAKR won the match by just 11 runs, bringing an end to yet another disappointing and humiliating season.

- They have finished at the bottom of the tournament table. pic.twitter.com/B26U7VtLyr

— KKR Karavan (@KkrKaravan) July 7, 2025

It's finally a WIN after 5 back-to-back Losses.

LAKR finishes off the season with a Victory. #MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/5n6LwzTRF2

— Rokte Amar KKR (@Rokte_Amarr_KKR) July 7, 2025

LAKR ends their MLC 2025 Season with 2 wins & 8 losses out of 10 games. A horrible Season comes to an end.

LAKR local talents showed that they have the talent, Skill. Hopefully the management will pick some good overseas picks, make some changes in the coaching panel. pic.twitter.com/u2fI2U0fHh

— Rokte Amar KKR (@Rokte_Amarr_KKR) July 7, 2025

MI did not help us but LAKR doing it for us 💛but need to play dangerous freedom in Q1 https://t.co/QV7C2oLMoV

— Sai Shreyas (@SaiShre43225906) July 7, 2025

MINY sodhapitan 😒👎

BUT LAKR 😭😭😭 Won it for us 💛
Thanks da mapla 🫂 LAKR 😭

TSK IN Q1 💛

MLC 🏆 we are coming for you 💛🏆🦁 https://t.co/h8IkHz5PBh

— Its_Me_Maxeyyy 💛 (@maxeyyy_tweets) July 7, 2025

What a fight so far …

Only if they restricted LAKR to 220 or so

Unicorns 156/4 after 13
Need 89 from 6 overs

Sanjay 73(34)*
Hammad Azam 28(21)*

At the same stage LAKR 158/1#MajorLeagueCricket #MLC2025 https://t.co/3VtbXBAxMX

— Karthik Rao (@Cric_Karthikk) July 7, 2025

LAKR somehow managed to win and TSK will play Qualifier 1 🥳💛
We deserves to play Q1 after such a performance in the grp stage .

— ★ 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 ★ (@aravindmsd_07) July 7, 2025

LAKR made 243 and took out the whole top order already.

— Maha (@cskfangirl7) July 7, 2025

The 30th match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 between San Francisco Unicorns (SF) and Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAS) will take place at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, Lauderhill, on Monday, July 7, 2025, at 4:30 AM IST. LAS, led by captain Sunil Narine and ably supported by star players like Andre Russell and Nitish Kumar, is at the bottom of the points table with 2 points and out of playoff contention but looking to end the season on a high note with a win. SF, captained by Corey Anderson and starring Finn Allen and Xavier Bartlett, aims to achieve their eighth win after seven out of nine games, with 14 points and sitting second, already through to the playoffs and looking to place in the top two.

This morning's encounter will provide thrilling T20 cricket to an insane crowd in the MLC's Lauderhill leg. SF boasts a dominant head-to-head record, but LAS is keen to reverse the tables. The turf wicket will favor the batsmen heavily in the initial stages, but with time, the spinners will come into focus.

Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Stats

Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in MLC 2025 provides early batting-friendly conditions, with the ground tilting towards spinners as the game progresses.

• Total Matches: 20
• Matches Won Batting First: 9
• Matches Won Batting Second: 11
• Average 1st Innings Score: 160
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 149
• Highest Total: 196/5 by USA vs CAN
• Lowest Total: 44/4 by WAS vs TEX
• Highest Chased: 172/6 by IND vs WI
• Lowest Defended: 142/7 by PAK vs SL

See Also: MLC 2025, WAS vs NY Match 29: Central Broward Regional Park stadium stats and Head to Head

LAS vs SF: Head-to-Head Record

Los Angeles Knight Riders and San Francisco Unicorns have played against each other thrice since the beginning of MLC, with SF winning thrice and LAS not managing to win yet, making the game extremely close. These three matches have already established SF's supremacy over LAS. This fourth encounter at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium is going to be challenging and full of probable surprises.

• Total Matches: 3
• LAS Wins: 0
• SF Wins: 3
• No Result: 0

Win %: Los Angeles Knight Riders – 0% (0/3), San Francisco Unicorns – 100% (3/3)

In Match 25 of the Major League Cricket season 2025, the San Francisco Unicorns won against Texas Super Kings by just 1 run in a thrilling finish with cool mindset and calm nature. Texas Super Kings won the toss and chose to bowl first. San Francisco’s captain Matthew Short played a calm and steady innings under pressure.

Batting first, San Francisco scored 148 for 6 in 20 overs. Matthew Short made a solid 80 runs from 63 balls. Hassan Khan added a quick 40 from 25 balls. Texas bowlers bowled well to keep the score down, with Marcus Stoinis took 3 wickets conceding 32 runs. Akeal Hosein (1/18) and Nandre Burger (1/28) were also very economical.

Chasing 149, Texas Super Kings fought hard but finished at 147 for 7 in 20 overs just 1 run short. Donovan Ferreira scored a fast 39 from 20 balls. Saiteja Mukkamalla (34 from 29) and Shubham Ranjane (28 from 27) also tried to keep the chase alive. But San Francisco bowlers took important wickets at the right time. Romario Shepherd and Brody Couch both took 2 wickets each for 26 runs, while Karima Gore bowled tightly with 1 for 25 to help seal the win in the last over.

ALSO READ: Ravindra Jadeja Creates History, Becomes 1st Player in the World to Achieve This Rare Feat

Twitter reactions after SFU wins 25th match of MLC 2025

✅ Another last ball thriller in the MLC - SFU win by 1 run!

📺 Watch live and exclusive on https://t.co/ktQmbfqs7H#MLC | #SFUvTSK pic.twitter.com/k7SnCA1gkw

— Willow TV US (@willowtv) July 5, 2025

On one side, TSK came in with just four bowlers and a part-timer bowling four overs, while Ranjane and Savage remained one-dimensional.
On the other side, SFU managed to defend 148 despite their main bowler Haris Rauf getting injured & going out of action after bowling a over!

— Jacob Martin (@Leg_shift_D) July 4, 2025

TSK bottling this game !!!

WAF or SFU will be the winner of this MLC

— Kunal Bishwal 🇦🇷 (@KunalBishwal07) July 4, 2025

TSK bottled an easy run chase & top 2 position 😭😭

Yes it was a game bw two best teams but that's where you show character man, should've chased this easily... pic.twitter.com/iYXVNO6Vrg

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) July 5, 2025

Match day 💛 #TSKvsSFU

Finally After 8th Matches TSK won toss 😭😭😭🥹

Choose Bowl 1st 🤞#WhistleForSuperKings pic.twitter.com/CeclOVBEld

— 𝑵𝑲𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒓🦚 (@Nkumaaaran) July 4, 2025

MLC is cooking 🔥

TSK lost today & WAF cooking for top 2, TSK will finish in top 2 only if they beat SO & also MINY beats WAF & if that happens MI will qualify eliminating SO 🥵🔥#MLC #MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/wsOCHaC4yb

— Navneet 🚩 (@MSDian067) July 5, 2025

The 25th game of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 between San Francisco Unicorns (SF) and Texas Super Kings (TEX) will be played at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida, at 12:30 AM IST on Saturday, July 5, 2025. SF, led by Corey Anderson and star players like Finn Allen and Xavier Bartlett, will attempt to earn their seventh win following six out of eight matches in their 2025 season, standing first on the points table. TEX, which is captained by Faf du Plessis and boasts stars Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, also hopes to record their seventh victory following six out of eight games, with 12 points and second on the table, both teams having qualified for the playoffs.

This early morning encounter will provide thrilling T20 cricket to a demented crowd during the MLC's Lauderhill leg. With a crowd limit of 5,000 and some berm room for another 15,000 supporters under lights, the ground is perfect for today's match. The head-to-head stands at an even keel; however, both teams are looking to impose their will. The turf wicket will favor batting heavily in the early hours, but as the match progresses, the spinners will be in the spotlight.

Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Cricket Stats

Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in MLC 2025 has early batting-friendly conditions, with the ground sloping towards spinners as the game progresses. The ground is famous for heavy scores, and it is ideal for great batting teams' starts. It has a 5,000-seater capacity with berms to accommodate an additional 15,000, and floodlights enable the game to be played without interruptions.

• Total Matches: 16
• Matches Won Batting First: 7
• Matches Won Batting Second: 9
• Average 1st Innings Score: 160
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 149
• Highest Total: 196/5 by USA vs CAN
• Lowest Total: 44/4 by WAS vs TEX
• Highest Chased: 172/6 by IND vs WI
• Lowest Defended: 142/7 by PAK vs SL

See Also: MLC 2025, WAS vs SEA Match 26: Central Broward Regional Park stadium stats and Head to Head

SF vs TEX: Head-to-Head Record

San Francisco Unicorns and Texas Super Kings have been on the field against one another four times since MLC began, with both sides having two wins each, to make the game extremely close. The four games have been an even contest between SF and TEX. This fifth encounter at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium is going to be a tough one and full of probable surprises.

• Total Matches: 4
• SF Wins: 2
• TEX Wins: 2
• No Result: 0

Win %: San Francisco Unicorns – 50% (2/4), Texas Super Kings – 50% (2/4)

In Match 22 of the 2025 Major League Cricket season, the Seattle Orcas won a tricky target to beat the San Francisco Unicorns at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill.

The Unicorns batted first after winning the toss but could only score 168/5 in 20 overs. Sanjay Krishnamurthy made a quick 41 from 28 balls. Jake Fraser-McGurk added 35, and Tim Seifert scored 31. The Orcas’ bowlers did well, with Ayan Desai taking 2 wickets for 32 runs. Sikandar Raza and Waqar Salamkheil also took important wickets.

In reply, Seattle reached the target with 3 balls left, won in 19.3 overs. Shimron Hetmyer was the star, hitting 78 runs from just 37 balls. Shayan Jahangir scored 36, and Aaron Jones hit a quick 14. Xavier Bartlett tried to fight back for the Unicorns with 2 wickets for 24 runs, but Seattle played calmly and won the match.

ALSO READ: MLC 2025: Points Table, leading run scorers and wicket takers after SF vs SEA Match 22

Twitter reactions after SO wins 22th match of  MLC 2025

Slept at 3 AM woke up 6 AM - because 👀

I knew Seattle Orcas gonna win this game anyhow, Jackpot 🐎

Congratulations to those who were awake followed and earned 🎯🤑🔫

Show your love by liking this tweet ❤️#MLC2025 https://t.co/R9XmExnvdJ

— Scoop Shot (@Scoopshott) July 2, 2025

The six that all but sealed our third W in a row 😍#SeattleOrcas #AmericasFavoriteCricketTeam #ShimronHetmyer #MLC2025 #SFUvSO I @SHetmyer I @MLCricket pic.twitter.com/tcGxAFcWhr

— Seattle Orcas (@MLCSeattleOrcas) July 2, 2025

The six that all but sealed our third W in a row 😍#SeattleOrcas #AmericasFavoriteCricketTeam #ShimronHetmyer #MLC2025 #SFUvSO I @SHetmyer I @MLCricket pic.twitter.com/tcGxAFcWhr

— Seattle Orcas (@MLCSeattleOrcas) July 2, 2025

Major League Cricket 2025 | Match 22 | Seattle Orcas won by 4 wickets.#MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/rLMlxvQdmc

— CricCircle (@thecriccircle) July 2, 2025

Seattle Orcas Started their MLC 2025 campaign with 5 straight losses ❌❌❌❌❌

Then came 3 straight wins ✅✅✅

Hetmyer stepped up every single time – 3 POTMs in a row! 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/K5BVpsftdE

— Cricket Tips - TheTopBookies (@TopBookies) July 2, 2025

Seattle Orcas Beat San francisco unicorns by 3 wickets 🔥
Shimron Hetmyer is carrying This team on his Shoulders
He scored 78(37)#MLC2025 #Shimronhetmyerpic.twitter.com/QKCZhTjqd0

— విరాటుడు (@Goatlified1) July 2, 2025