Big names of the MI New York stood up in a must-win encounter to help their side reach the playoffs of the Major League Cricket 2024. Rashid, Pooran, and Pollard proved to be the catalyst that helped their side seal a thumping win over the LA Knight Riders by 4 wickets and 3 overs to spare.
Batting first LAKR was dismissed for a below-par 130 in their given 20 overs. Rashid in his wonderful spell of bowling finished with 3 for 22 and was well accompanied by Nosthush Kenjige who registered 2-22 in his quota of overs. MINY then needed to chase that score down in 18.2 overs to surpass their opposition on Net Run Rate and Nicholas Pooran (35 off 28) and Kieron Pollard (33* off 12) played key knocks to ensure the target was hauled down with 18 balls to spare.
The MI franchise is known for its champion mentality and it was again well and truly on display as the side seemed to be ready for the challenge from the get-go. They elected to bowl on a sluggish wicket and their decision was upheld by Trent Boult as he dismissed the dangerous Sunil Narine in his very first over. Jason Roy then took charge for the LAKR and scored some quick runs but MINY also bagged the wicket of Unmukt Chand in a 45-run PowerPlay.
Rashid struck with just his fourth delivery as a googly snuck under Roy’s attempted slog and knocked back the off stump. At the other end, Kenjige had David Miller holing out to long on to an attempted heave, leaving the Knight Riders struggling at 62 for 4 at the half-way point of their innings. The two spinners ran through the LAKR middle-order. Saif Badar, Nitish, and Spencer followed the other batters leaving LAKR tottering at 101 for 9. LAKR’s innings got a bit of a boost at the end as Russel fired some quick runs in his cameo of 35 off 21.
MINY’s chase started in a good fashion as Dewald Brevis played a crisp innings. But he and opening partner Ruben Clinton were dismissed quickly at the end of a 36-run PowerPlay. At the halfway point of the chase, MINY were 55 for 3 with Monank Patel also departing cheaply and required 76 off 50 balls to go through to the playoffs.
After a slow start, Pooran then switched gears and smashed a couple of boundaries At the other end, Pollard iced the chase with a brutal takedown of Spencer Johnson, which included a hat-trick of sixes. Pollard finished unbeaten on a 12-ball 33 and sealed a spot in the playoffs for his side.
Brief scores: LA Knight Riders 130 in 19.1 overs (Andre Russell 35; Rashid Khan 3-22, Nosthush Kenjige 2-22) lost to MI New York 134/6 in 17 overs (Nicholas Pooran 35, Kieron Pollard 33*; Sunil Narine 2-24) by four wickets.
