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Pooran and Pollard Power MI New York Into MLC 2024 Final With Stunning Comeback Win
MI New York Crush Texas Super Kings by 7 Wickets to Set Up Clash With Washington Freedom
MI New York pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Major League Cricket (MLC) history as they stormed into the final of the 2024 season with a resounding seven-wicket win over Texas Super Kings (TSK) in the Challenger match held on Friday. After starting the tournament with six losses in their first seven games, MI New York, led by Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard, have now found themselves just one step away from the title.
The victory sets up a high-octane MLC 2024 final showdown with defending champions Washington Freedom, scheduled for Sunday.
Texas Super Kings Start Steady but Struggle in the Middle Overs
Du Plessis Holds Anchor as Luus and Ugarkar Strike Early
Put in to bat first, Smit Patel and Faf du Plessis gave TSK a cautious yet stable start. Smit found the boundary early, but du Plessis looked to take control in the fourth over, hitting Tristan Luus for a six and a four. However, both openers were dismissed in quick succession by Luus and Rushil Ugarkar, who ripped through the top order, reducing TSK to 43 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay.
While du Plessis survived a dropped catch by Pollard and managed to build a 59-run knock, his departure in the 14th over brought renewed pressure. Marcus Stoinis, struggling to find fluency, departed after scoring just 12 off 18 balls. Ugarkar’s slower ball drew a mistimed shot that landed in deep mid-wicket’s hands.
Akeal Hosein’s Late Fireworks Push TSK to 166
It was Akeal Hosein and Donovan Ferreira who saved TSK from an underwhelming total. Hosein launched an assault in the final overs, smashing three sixes off Pollard and lifting the total to a respectable 166/5 in 20 overs. Roelof van der Merwe’s experience was missed in these moments as the MI New York bowlers lost their edge during the death overs.
🔗 Related Article: How MI New York turned around their MLC 2024 campaign
MI New York Survive Early Blows to Mount a Strong Chase
Monank’s Resilient Knock Keeps Chase Alive
Chasing 167, MI New York suffered an early setback as Quinton de Kock mistimed a pull off Zia-ul-Haq and was dismissed for 4. Soon after, Michael Bracewell fell to Noor Ahmad, leaving MINY at a cautious 31/2 after the Powerplay.
Enter Monank Patel, who made the most of his early reprieve when dropped on 11. He counterattacked with a flurry of boundaries off Adam Milne and Zia, scoring a fluent 49 that kept MI in the hunt. Despite being dropped again on 37, he was eventually dismissed in the 13th over, but had done enough to set the stage for the big hitters.
Pollard and Pooran Seal It With Brutal Finishing Blows
From the 15th over, the game took a decisive turn. Kieron Pollard flexed his muscles, smashing Noor Ahmad for a six before taking 22 runs off five balls from Zia-ul-Haq. With 50 runs required off the last four overs, this single over changed the complexion of the game.
Nicholas Pooran followed suit by punishing Milne with a boundary and a massive six. The duo completed the run chase with an over to spare, hammering Marcus Stoinis for 19 runs in the 19th over and sealing MI New York’s spot in the final.
MLC 2024 Final: MINY vs Washington Freedom
This win propels MI New York into their second MLC final in three seasons, where they will now face Washington Freedom, the reigning champions. With match-winners like Pooran and Pollard in prime form, the final promises to be a cracker.
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📊 Brief Scores:
Texas Super Kings: 166/5 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 59, Akeal Hosein 55*; Tristan Luus 3-35, Rushil Ugarkar 2-31)
MI New York: 172/3 in 19 overs (Nicholas Pooran 52*, Monank Patel 49; Akeal Hosein 1-11)
Result: MI New York won by 7 wickets
