San Francisco Unicorns snapped their mini‑slump on Friday at Central Broward Park in Lauderhill, Florida, with a pulsating one‑run victory over the Texas Super Kings (TSK), clinging to 148 for 6 after Matthew Short “slammed 80 off 63 deliveries” in an innings equal parts composure and controlled aggression.
The Australian’s fifth 50 of the season restored him to the summit of the tournament run chart with 353 runs chart.
Marcus Stoinis counter‑punched for Texas, claiming 3‑32 and limiting the damage at the death, but the chase wobbled. When the equation shrank to 13 off the final over, Xavier Bartlett—already lauded for 16 wickets this season—“held his nerve” and nailed his yorkers, sealing victory “by the barest of margins.” The result nudged the Unicorns two points clear atop the ladder and denied TSK a shot at first place.
Maxwell’s spin blitz wrecks Orcas, propels Freedom
In the nightcap, Washington Freedom captain Glenn Maxwell turned sculptor with the ball, chiseling out Seattle Orcas for a paltry 82 with beguiling off‑breaks that yielded 3 for 12. Saurabh Netravalkar matched the haul, and the Freedom romped home with 64 balls to spare. Maxwell now owns six wickets and 235 runs at a staggering 192.62 strike rate—proof that the “Big Show” is fully operational on American soil.
A doubleheader takes the spotlight on Saturday with Los Angeles Knight Riders facing MI New York in the 2:00 p.m. opener, while Seattle Orcas take on Texas Super Kings in the 6:00 p.m. encounter.
Playing only for pride, LA will unleash Sherfane Rutherford’s fireworks and Andre Russell’s heavy‑ball variations, but MI New York carries palpable momentum. Monank Patel’s opening authority and Kieron Pollard’s pandemic of boundaries give the defending champions a clear path to a must‑win result—provided Trent Boult’s new‑ball swing repeats Friday’s venom.
Game 2 – Seattle Orcas vs Texas Super Kings
Seattle must erase Friday’s collapse; Shimron Hetmyer’s pyrotechnics and Waqar Salamkheil’s wrist‑spin hold the key. But Texas, sparked by Donovan Ferreira’s turbo‑charged finishing and Hosein’s miserly power‑play darts, smells a rebound. Victory virtually books the Super Kings a playoff berth; defeat drags them back into MI New York’s orbit.
MLC 2025 Points Table (after Match 26)
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points |
| San Francisco Unicorns | 9 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Washington Freedom | 9 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Texas Super Kings | 9 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| Seattle Orcas | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| MI New York | 8 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Los Angeles Knight Riders | 8 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
