MLC reaches boiling point! Who stays, who goes, and who still dares to dream?

With just six days of league-stage matches remaining, the 2025 edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) is shaping up for a thrilling climax.

After Seattle Orcas stunned San Francisco Unicorns with a four-wicket victory under the lights on Tuesday, the playoff picture is anything but settled. While the top three sides appear poised to advance, only two can secure direct entry to Qualifier 1. Meanwhile, the fourth spot remains a live battleground, and the last-place franchises are hanging on by threads of mathematical hope.

All this unfolds just before Wednesday night’s highly anticipated clash between Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings, the outcome of which could alter the entire balance of power. However, standings as they existed before that encounter already tell a compelling story — one of dominance, recovery, and fading dreams.

Unicorns cling to first, but Freedom’s gallop can’t be ignored

The San Francisco Unicorns, even after Tuesday’s defeat, remain top of the table with 12 points from 8 matches and a commanding net run rate of +1.722 — a margin so wide it practically guarantees them the upper hand in any tiebreaker scenario.

But their margin of safety is shrinking. The Washington Freedom, riding a six-match win streak and with a game in hand, are level on points and could leapfrog the Unicorns with a win over Texas. It’s a tightrope for San Francisco, who will need to rebound quickly to protect their top-two status and a spot in the Qualifier.

Texas and Seattle eye the edge

The Texas Super Kings have quietly built momentum of their own, notching five wins from seven starts. Their net run rate of +1.448 is second only to San Francisco, giving them an edge if things tighten. But inconsistency has been their Achilles’ heel all season, and if they stumble against Washington or later in the week, they could find themselves dragged into the scramble for fourth.

That’s because Seattle, once bottom of the table and riddled with instability after parting ways with coach Matthew Mott and captain Heinrich Klaasen, have caught fire. Shimron Hetmyer’s red-hot form — including three match-winning innings — has sparked a revival. Now on six points from eight matches, the Orcas are very much alive in the playoff hunt. With two matches still to play, their equation is simple: win both, and hope results elsewhere don’t betray them.

Curtains near for MI New York and LA Knight Riders

For MI New York and the Los Angeles Knight Riders, the final week of round-robin play offers one last chance at redemption — or at least relevance. Both sides have a solitary win to show from seven outings. Their net run rates sit below sea level, and they will need to win out while praying for a series of upsets and washouts to crack the top four. In all likelihood, they will be playing for pride — and to spoil someone else’s playoff push.

All remaining league matches will unfold at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida — a fitting cauldron for the chaos to come.

- Advertisement -

The action continues on July 3 with a pair of double-headers. In the early match, the Los Angeles Knight Riders face MI New York in a battle between the basement dwellers. Though both teams are virtually out of playoff contention, neither will lack motivation — reputations are on the line, and pride remains a powerful fuel.

Later that day, the spotlight shifts to a high-stakes duel as San Francisco Unicorns return to face Texas Super Kings. If the Super Kings lose to Freedom the day before, this fixture becomes a must-win; if they win, it becomes a fight for top-two status.

On July 4, the Washington Freedom go head-to-head with the Seattle Orcas. That contest could be pivotal — especially if the Orcas win their opener — as Freedom aim to cement first place while Seattle seek survival. The evening match features another MI New York–LA Knight Riders rematch, an unusual quirk of the fixture list and possibly the curtain call for both franchises.

July 5 brings drama aplenty. Seattle meet Texas in a game that could very well serve as a de facto eliminator for the fourth playoff berth, while Freedom return to action against New York, possibly needing the win to finish atop the table.

The regular season wraps on July 6 with San Francisco facing Los Angeles. Depending on how the week plays out, the Unicorns could be fighting to secure first place—or looking nervously over their shoulders.

From there, it’s on to Dallas, where the playoffs begin:

Qualifier 1 takes place on July 8 between the top two finishers. The Eliminator, between third and fourth, is set for July 9. The loser of Qualifier 1 will meet the Eliminator winner in Qualifier 2 on July 11.

The winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 will clash in the MLC Final on July 14 at Grand Prairie Stadium.

Major League Cricket 2025 Standings (as of July 2, before WAF vs TSK)