MI New York Storms into Final with Thrilling Win
In a sensational display of T20 cricket, MI New York (MINY) defeated the Texas Super Kings (TSK) by seven wickets in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 Challenger to book their place in the final. After a slow start to their season, Nicholas Pooran's team has peaked at the perfect time, continuing an improbable run to their second final in three years.
MI New York Domination in Challenger Date and Time
The high-stakes Challenger match took place at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Friday, July 11, 2025. The match started at 7:00 PM local time (5:30 AM IST on July 12).
Match Summary
MI New York defeated the Texas Super Kings by seven wickets with six balls remaining to advance to the MLC 2025 final. The match took place at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
- Result: MI New York won by 7 wickets.
- Toss: MI New York won the toss and elected to field first.
- Player of the Match: Kieron Pollard was named Player of the Match for his explosive unbeaten 47 runs off 22 balls.
Texas Super Kings Innings: 166/5 (20 overs)
After being put in to bat, the Texas Super Kings (TSK) posted a total of 166 for the loss of 5 wickets in their 20 overs. The innings had a difficult start, with TSK reduced to 43/3 in the powerplay and later 85/5 in the 13th over. A strong counter-attack from Akeal Hosein and Donovan Ferreira added 81 runs to set a competitive target.
Top Batting Performances:
- Faf du Plessis (c): Scored 59 runs off 42 balls.
- Akeal Hosein: Played a crucial unbeaten knock of 55 runs from 32 balls.
- Donovan Ferreira: Contributed a quick 32 not out from 20 balls.
Bowling Figures for MI New York:
- Tristan Luus: Was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 35.
- Rushil Ugarkar: Took 2 wickets for 31 runs.
MI New York Innings: 172/3 (19 overs)
In their chase, MI New York reached the target of 167 in 19 overs, finishing with a score of 172 for the loss of 3 wickets. Despite a shaky start that saw them at 83/3 in the 13th over, a match-winning partnership between Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard saw them home.
Top Batting Performances:
- Nicholas Pooran (c): Scored a captain's knock of 52 not out from 36 balls.
- Monank Patel: Provided a solid start with 49 runs off 39 balls.
- Kieron Pollard: Smashed an unbeaten 47 from just 22 balls, including four fours and three sixes, to accelerate the chase and secure the win.
Bowling Figures for Texas Super Kings:
- Akeal Hosein: Was the most economical bowler, taking 1 wicket for 11 runs in his 3 overs.
- Noor Ahmad: Took 1 wicket for 29 runs.
An Unlikely Journey to the Top
MI New York's path to the final has been remarkable. After managing just one win in their first seven games, their campaign seemed all but over. However, they found momentum with a thrilling win in the Eliminator against the San Francisco Unicorns, where Trent Boult played an unexpected heroic role with the bat. This victory in the Challenger caps off a dramatic turnaround.
With this dominant performance, MI New York will now face the defending champions, Washington Freedom, in the MLC 2025 final on Sunday, July 13.