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The Grand Prairie Stadium bore witness to a compelling encounter in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, as Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) finally broke their winless streak, defeating Seattle Orcas by six wickets in Match 12. The toss saw Seattle Orcas opt to bat first, setting the stage for a chase that would be dominated by a remarkable individual performance from LAKR’s Unmukt Chand. This victory was particularly significant for the Knight Riders, marking their first points in the tournament, while Seattle Orcas continued their challenging start to the season, still searching for a win.
Seattle Orcas’ innings: A competitive total, yet undermined
Having chosen to set a target, Seattle Orcas commenced their innings with an intent to post a formidable score. Openers Shayan Jahangir and David Warner provided a promising start, with Jahangir striking a brisk 26 runs off just 15 deliveries, including 3 fours and a six. Warner, the seasoned campaigner, contributed a steady 38 off 28 balls, laced with 5 boundaries, laying a decent foundation. However, it was Aaron Jones who held the innings together for a significant period, crafting a crucial 44 runs from 36 balls, featuring a four and two maximums, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking. The Orcas’ middle order, however, struggled to convert starts into substantial scores. Kyle Mayers added 14, while Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed cheaply for 4. Shimron Hetmyer and Sikandar Raza attempted to accelerate towards the end, scoring 19 and 16 respectively, but couldn’t quite provide the explosive finish that might have pushed the total beyond LAKR’s reach.
Los Angeles Knight Riders’ bowling unit deserves significant credit for restricting the Orcas to 177/6. Leading the charge was the dynamic Andre Russell, who delivered a superb spell of 3 wickets for just 30 runs in his four overs, picking up key scalps including the dangerous Klaasen and Hetmyer, which stifled Seattle’s scoring rate. Shadley van Schalkwyk was economical, conceding only 26 runs for his one wicket, while Jason Holder also bagged a wicket for 34 runs. Corne Dry and Tanveer Sangha, despite not picking up many wickets, managed to keep the pressure on at various stages. Despite a competitive total, the Orcas’ innings lacked the late flourish to truly put the game out of reach, perhaps leaving them 10-15 runs short on a good batting surface.
Los Angeles Knight Riders’ chase: Unmukt Chand’s masterclass steers victory
The chase began precariously for Los Angeles Knight Riders. Early wickets of Alex Hales (1 run) and Nitish Kumar (1 run) within the first few overs sent jitters through the LAKR camp, leaving them reeling at 7/2. This set the stage for an extraordinary rescue act. Stepping up to the challenge, Unmukt Chand, the Player of the Match, showcased exceptional temperament and skill. He built a magnificent partnership with Saif Badar that turned the tide decisively in LAKR’s favor. Chand’s innings was a blend of calculated aggression and composed shot-making, as he notched an unbeaten 86 runs from just 58 balls, decorated with 10 fours and 4 towering sixes.
Saif Badar provided excellent support, playing an aggressive cameo of 54 runs off 32 deliveries, including 2 fours and 4 sixes. Their formidable 139-run partnership for the third wicket effectively absorbed the pressure of the early wickets and set the Knight Riders firmly on course for victory. Although Badar fell after reaching his half-century, and Rovman Powell was dismissed quickly for 1, Chand remained unflustered. Sherfane Rutherford then provided the perfect finishing impetus, smashing an unbeaten 20 runs off a mere 9 balls, including 1 four and 2 sixes, to seal the win for LAKR in 18.2 overs. Seattle Orcas’ bowlers, including Cameron Gannon, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Gerald Coetzee and Sikandar Raza, tried to stem the flow of runs, but the relentless scoring from Chand and Badar proved too much to contain.
Unmukt Chand's unbeaten 86 off 58 balls helped Los Angeles Knight Riders end their three-match losing streak 🙌🏏#CricketTwitter #UnmuktChand #MLC2025 #LAKR pic.twitter.com/jKd9lDYhBB
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 23, 2025
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