Former India Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand’s second half-century of ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 kept Los Angeles Knight Riders’ playoffs hopes alive with a four-wicket win over Seattle Orcas. Heinrich Klaasen’s Seattle Orcas opener Ryan Rickelton's 52-ball 89 went in vain as LA Knight Riders chased down the target of 143 with five balls to spare at Church Street Park, Morrisville on July 17.
Rickleton’s lone effort
Earlier, Klaasen won the toss and opted to bat first. After two quiet overs, Rickelton hit Spencer Johnson for two consecutive sixes and a four. Half-centurion of the previous game, Shehan Jayasuriya got deceived by Corne Dry's slower ball and departed for a single-digit score. In the same over, Quinton de Kock was run out by LA Knight Riders skipper Sunil Narine for a four-ball duck. Klaasen struggled to get going. In the ningth over, Rickelton took on Afghan pacer Waqar Salamkheil. He hit two sixes and as many fours in the ninth over. The South Africa opener reached his fifty from 28 balls.
The partnership was broken by another run out. Narine caught Klaasen short of the crease. The wicketkeeper-batter contributed with a run-a-ball 23. In the 16th over, Narine knocked over Aaron Jones. Rickelton lacked support from the other end. Michael Bracewell got bowled by Andre Russell in the 18th over. In the penultimate over, Rickelton hit a six before falling to Johnson. His 52-ball 89 was studded with seven fours and six sixes. No boundaries were scored in Russell's last over as Orcas posted 142/6.
Chand stabilises run chase
Narine got off the mark with a six in the first over bowled by Lungi Ngidi. But he got bowled in Ngidi's second over. Chand got going early with two consecutive fours off Harmeet Singh. He hit the first six of the innings off Cameron Gannon. The scoring rate went down and Jason Roy handed an easy catch to backward point fielder off Harmeet's bowling. At the halfway stage, LA Knight Riders were 71/2. David Miller failed to get going and was caught near the boundary in Keemo Paul's over.
In the 13th over, Chand reached his half-century with a six. He took 38 balls to reach the milestone. In the next over, Nitish Kumar hit Gannon for a six but lost his wicket next ball. Knight Riders were cruising towards the target but Harmeet got the prized wicket of Chand. He hit three fours and as many sixes in his 47-ball 62. But Saif Badar and Russell hit one six each to release the pressure. Gannon dismissed Russell in the penultimate over but it turned out to be a consolation wicket. Knight Riders won the match with five balls to spare.
Must-win clash against defending champions
With their second win of the tournament, Knight Riders are alive in the playoffs race. They will face MI New York in their last league stage game on June 21. They will hope for a win and other permutations and combinations going their way to advance in MLC 2024.
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