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In a thrilling match of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024, the San Francisco Unicorns defeated the Los Angeles Knight Riders by six wickets at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Monday, July 8. The star of the show was New Zealand opener Finn Allen, who put on a spectacular display of power-hitting against the Knight Riders’ bowling attack.
Finn Allen’s carnage against LAKR
Allen smashed Shakib Al Hasan for three consecutive sixes in the fifth over, sending the ball deep into the stands. He continued his onslaught in the seventh over, hitting Andre Russell for two more maximums, taking his tally to five sixes across the two overs.
Here’s the video
Simply 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐧-tastic 💫#SFUnicorns #GoCorns #MLC2024 #CognizantMajorLeagueCricket #LAKRvSFU pic.twitter.com/uE7pVpYUoK
— San Francisco Unicorns (@SFOUnicorns) July 8, 2024
Allen’s blistering knock of 63 off just 37 balls, at a strike rate of 170.27, laid the foundation for the Unicorns’ successful chase. He was ably supported by Matthew Short, who scored a quickfire 58 off 26 deliveries, as the pair added 116 runs for the second wicket.
Match summary
The Knight Riders, after being put in to bat first, posted a competitive total of 165/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Shakib (35) and Russell (40 off 25 balls) were the main contributors with the bat for the Knight Riders. For the Unicorns, Brody Couch and Haris Rauf picked up two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmad and Liam Plunkett chipped in with one apiece.
In response, the Unicorns got off to a flying start, thanks to the explosive batting of Allen and Short. Allen, in particular, was in a belligerent mood as he took on the Knight Riders’ bowlers, especially Shakib and Russell.
The Unicorns eventually reached their target in 15.2 overs, winning the match by six wickets. Spencer Johnson was the pick of the bowlers for the Knight Riders, finishing with figures of 3/30.
Also READ: Andre Russell smokes gigantic 107m six off Haris Rauf in SFU vs LAKR game
Words from the match-winning duo
Speaking at the post-match presentation, a delighted Allen said, “It was a great team effort. The bowlers set it up nicely for us, and we just had to go out there and express ourselves. I’m glad I could contribute with the bat and help the team get over the line.”
Short, who was named the Player of the Match, echoed Allen’s sentiments of the dressing room, saying, “We are joking in the change room as to who can hit the biggest sixes. I think the pitch got better to bat on under lights, probably dew played a part as well. This tournament has a lot of good players.”
The win puts the Unicorns in a strong position in the MLC 2024 standings, while the Knight Riders will look to bounce back in their next match. With players like Allen and Short in their ranks, the Unicorns will be a force to be reckoned with in the tournament.
