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LA Knight Riders Edge Out San Francisco Unicorns in MLC 2025 Thriller
Fletcher’s Century, Van Schalkwyk’s Final Over Heroics Deny SFU a Top-Two Finish
Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) ended the league stage of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 with a dramatic 11-run win over San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) in a rain-affected, high-scoring encounter in Florida. The result denied SFU a place in the top two of the points table, forcing them into the Eliminator instead of the more favorable Qualifier.
Andre Fletcher was once again the star for LAKR, scoring his second century of the tournament, while Sanjay Krishnamurthi put up a valiant fight for SFU with a brilliant 92 off just 40 balls. However, Shadley van Schalkwyk’s nerves of steel in the final over sealed the win for LAKR and reshuffled the playoff match-ups just before the knockout stage.
LAKR Set the Tone with Explosive Batting Display
The match got off to an aggressive start with Andre Fletcher and Alex Hales smashing 15 runs in the opening over. Although SFU pulled things back momentarily, the sixth over saw Hales launch an all-out assault on Ben Lister, hitting four boundaries and two sixes in a single over. He reached a quickfire fifty off just 24 balls before getting dismissed.
Rain Break Shifts Momentum Further Towards LAKR
The match was reduced to a 19-over affair following a rain delay, and LAKR returned even more determined. Sherfane Rutherford and Fletcher capitalized on the restart, pushing the score past the highest total registered at this venue for the season. Despite Bartlett dismissing Rutherford with a sharp delivery, the final two overs saw Fletcher unleash a flurry of sixes, finishing unbeaten on 118 and lifting LAKR to a massive 243/3 in 19 overs.
SFU’s Top Order Collapse Stuns Fans
Chasing 244 was always going to be a daunting task, and things turned disastrous early for SFU. Finn Allen was caught in the deep in the first over, and in a double blow, Karthik Gattepalli dismissed Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk in the same over, leaving SFU reeling at 5/3 after 10 balls.
Krishnamurthi Sparks Fightback
While most teams would have folded under pressure, Sanjay Krishnamurthi had other ideas. After a cameo from Hassan Khan, and with support from Hammad Azam, SFU clawed back into the game. Krishnamurthi took charge, hitting cleanly and frequently, keeping the scoreboard ticking.
With 106 needed from 48 balls, the Unicorns needed a miracle. That miracle almost came as SFU scored 38 runs in the next two overs, followed by a stunning 26-run over that brought the equation down to 38 off 18 balls.
Final Overs: Drama and Heartbreak for SFU
Just as SFU started dreaming of a remarkable chase, Jason Holder brought LAKR back into the contest by dismissing Krishnamurthi with a clever slower delivery. Xavier Bartlett, however, didn’t give up, hammering key boundaries to bring it down to 12 needed from the final 3 balls.
But Shadley van Schalkwyk, tasked with defending the total in the final over, held his nerve. He picked up two wickets in two balls, ending SFU’s hopes and sealing an 11-run win for the Knight Riders.
SFU Slip to Third, Set to Face MINY in Eliminator
Had SFU won the game, they would have pipped Texas Super Kings (TSK) to the second spot on net run rate and qualified for the Qualifier. But the loss now places them third in the standings. While SFU had already booked their playoff ticket, the route to the final has now become steeper.
They will face MI New York in the Eliminator on July 9 in Dallas, while TSK take on Washington Freedom in the Qualifier on July 8.
Brief Scores
Los Angeles Knight Riders: 243/3 in 19 overs (Andre Fletcher 118*, Alex Hales 58)
San Francisco Unicorns: 233 in 18.5 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 92; Karthik Gattepalli 3/31, Jason Holder 2/28)
Result: LAKR won by 11 runs (DLS Method)
Read our detailed MLC 2025 points table and playoff scenarios.
For full match scorecard and statistics, visit Cricbuzz’s match page.
