MLC 2025
A win will take MI past Seattle Orcas at fourth on the basis of their already superior NRR © MLC
Over the last 48 hours, MI New York’s otherwise dwindling MLC 2025 campaign found a new lease of life. They’ve lingered in the must-win category for a while now due to a groggy start, but their win over fellow strugglers LA Knight Riders on July 3 followed by Seattle Orcas’ defeat on July 4, has given them reason to believe and keep up their top-four pursuit. Nicholas Pooran’s side has won just two games this season but could climb up to fourth by Saturday evening.
As things stand, MINY sit on four points from eight games, while the Orcas, with their recent defeat, are only two points ahead, having played one game more. If MINY complete the double over the already-eliminated Knight Riders, they’ll leapfrog the Orcas with a superior Net Run Rate.
Trent Boult became the biggest beneficiary of the helpful conditions in Lauderhill two nights ago when he ran through the Knight Riders’ top-order and finished with a stirring spell of 4 for 17. It paved the way for a sub-par total that Pooran & Co. wiped out to keep their campaign alive, while derailing Knight Riders’. A repeat result on Saturday evening would heap pressure on the Orcas, who take on Texas Super Kings later in the day. The stakes in that game will be high for the Super Kings too, who still have a chance of a top-two finish.
As for the Knight Riders, the motivation to close out an underwhelming campaign with two points carries added weight. Just two days after being knocked out by MI New York, LAKR now have a chance to return the favour by disrupting their opponent’s playoff push. A loss won’t spell the end for MINY, but will put leave on the brink and in need of other results going their way.
When: MI New York vs Los Angeles Knight Riders, 27th Match, July 5, 3 PM Local time
Where: Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida
What to expect:Thunderstorms are in the offing in the middle of this fixture. The pitches here have propped up the bowlers a little.
Team News:
MI New York: Nosthush Kenjige replaced Sunny Patel, but only bowled two overs for 25 runs and the wicket of Saif Badar in the reverse fixture two nights ago. MINY however, could prefer to stick to the same line-up.
Probable XI: Quinton de Kock(w), Monank Patel, Nicholas Pooran(c), Tajinder Dhillon, Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, George Linde, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Rushil Ugarkar, Ehsan Adil
Los Angeles Knight Riders:Sunil Narine made a strong return but that wasn’t enough to save their season. With qualification to playoffs out of reach, expect a couple of rotations in the line-up.
Probable XI: Unmukt Chand(w), Andre Fletcher/Alex Hales, Saif Badar/Nitish Kumar, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Matthew Tromp, Jason Holder(c), Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan
© Cricbuzz
