Hetmyer's Last-Gasp Six Steals Victory for Orcas in Record-Breaking MLC Chase OR Seattle Orcas Stun MI New York with Last-Ball Six, Claim Record MLC Run Chase

In a stunning display of power hitting, Shimron Hetmyer propelled the Seattle Orcas to a thrilling three-wicket victory over MI New York with a final-ball six, marking their first win of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season. The Orcas successfully chased down a colossal target of 238, setting a new record for the highest successful run chase in MLC history.

MI New York had earlier set a formidable target, posting 237/4, largely due to a blistering, unbeaten innings from captain Nicholas Pooran, who smashed 108 off just 60 balls, studded with 7 fours and 8 sixes. He was ably supported by Tajinder Dhillon, who contributed a rapid 95 off only 35 deliveries.

Despite the onslaught, the Orcas managed to regain some control through Gerald Coetzee and Kyle Mayers, who each claimed two wickets.

Seattle's chase began shakily, with Josh Brown and Shayan Jahangir falling early in the powerplay.

However, Kyle Mayers (37 off 20) and captain Sikandar Raza (30 off 9) launched a swift counter-attack to revive the innings. Heinrich Klaasen then added a quickfire 26 off 13 balls before being dismissed by debutant Rushil Ugarkar.

This set the stage for Hetmyer's remarkable performance.

As the required run rate increased and wickets continued to fall, Hetmyer shifted gears, scoring an unbeaten 97 off a mere 40 deliveries. His innings included 5 fours and 9 towering sixes, achieving an impressive strike rate of 242.50.

The game culminated in a dramatic final ball, with five runs needed for victory. Hetmyer, facing MI New York captain Kieron Pollard, executed a brilliant flick over fine leg for a six, securing a memorable win for the Seattle Orcas.

Following his match-winning innings, Hetmyer, who was named Player of the Match, expressed, "This one is one of the best, because our backs were against the wall and I'm still grimacing over the last game where we couldn't cross the line. Today is one of those days, where I went with a clear mind and wanted to take the game as deep as possible. That (injury) actually gave me a little bit of help, because I didn't want to run much."