Orcas Overcome Knight Riders in High-Scoring Thriller, Jones and Hetmyer Shine

The Seattle Orcas continued their impressive run in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, securing a five-wicket victory over the Los Angeles Knight Riders after successfully chasing down another formidable 200-plus target. This win marks their second consecutive triumph in the tournament, solidifying their playoff aspirations.

The Knight Riders, after being put in to bat, struggled to gain momentum initially. The sluggish pitch made it difficult to time the ball effectively. Andre Fletcher managed to find the boundary on occasion, providing some impetus during the powerplay. However, Harmeet Singh's disciplined bowling earned him a wicket when Fletcher was caught at long-off.

In a surprising move, Andre Russell came in at No. 3. He started cautiously, particularly against spin, while the Knight Riders lost two quick wickets to find themselves at 48/3. Russell then partnered with Saif Badar to stabilize the innings, followed by a rapid partnership with Rovman Powell to accelerate the scoring. Badar was eventually dismissed for 41, caught by Klaasen off Salamkheil. The partnerships between Russell-Badar and Russell-Powell helped propel the Knight Riders past 200. Russell reached his first fifty of the season and remained unbeaten on 65 from 39 balls, while Powell's explosive 43* off 21 ensured they finished with a total of 202/4.

Waqar Salamkheil was the standout bowler for the Orcas, taking 2/29 in his four overs. Harmeet Singh and Ayan Desai each contributed with one wicket.

Chasing 203, Seattle suffered an early setback with the loss of opener Josh Brown on the second ball. However, Aaron Jones and Shayan Jahangir forged a magnificent 119-run partnership for the second wicket. They took calculated risks to keep the scoreboard moving. Jones reached his maiden MLC fifty before being dismissed by Schalkwyk off Holder for 73 (38 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes).

The Orcas then experienced a mini-collapse, losing Jahangir, Klaasen, and Sikandar Raza in quick succession. However, Shimron Hetmyer continued his superb form from the previous match, smashing six sixes and four boundaries in a blistering 26-ball 64* to guide Seattle to a comfortable victory. Kyle Mayers provided valuable support with 9 off 12.

Among the Knight Riders' bowlers, Jason Holder impressed with 2 wickets, while Tanveer Sangha also claimed 2/39. Andre Russell took one wicket for 29 in his four-over spell.

Match Summary

Los Angeles Knight Riders: 202 for 4 (Andre Russell 65 not out, Rovman Powell 43*, Saif Badar 41; Waqar Salamkheil 2-29)

Seattle Orcas: 206 for 5 (Aaron Jones 73, Shimron Hetmyer 64*, Jahangir 43; Jason Holder 2-36, Jason Sangha 2-39)