UNICORNS TOP MLC STANDINGS WITH THRILLING SIX-WICKET WIN

San Francisco Unicorns, 194/4 (F Allen, 65; H Khan, 36), beat Seattle Orcas 190/7 (M Breetzke, 55; M Stoinis, 49), by 6 wickets.

The San Francisco Unicorns closed out the 2026 Major League Cricket regular season with a thrilling six-wicket victory over the Seattle Orcas on Saturday night at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium. Powered by Finn Allen’s explosive 65 and Hassan Khan’s unbeaten 36 off just 10 balls, the Unicorns chased down 191 with six balls to spare, earning a favourable playoff position in the Major League Cricket standings in the process.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Unicorns got off to an ideal start as Xavier Bartlett was involved in a run out to dismiss Shayan Jahangir in the opening over before Matt Short claimed the wicket of Tim Seifert, who picked out Brody Couch at midwicket. Bartlett then delivered a pinpoint yorker to bowl Shehan Jayasuriya, leaving Seattle reeling at 34/3 after four overs.

The Orcas responded through Matthew Breetzke and Shimron Hetmyer, whose partnership steadied the innings after the early collapse. Hetmyer made 36 before Brody Couch broke through, with Bartlett taking a well-judged catch at long on, while Breetzke continued the recovery with a 29-ball 55 to guide Seattle past the halfway point.

Unicorns regained momentum late in the innings as Peter Siddle removed Breetzke before Ali Sheikh was run out in the same over. Marcus Stoinis anchored the finish with 49, but Bartlett dismissed the Seattle captain in the final over as the Orcas finished on 190/7, setting the Unicorns a target of 191.

The chase got off to a strong start as Finn Allen and Lhuan-dre Pretorius put together a 30-run opening partnership before Pretorius departed for 14. Allen continued to control the innings alongside Matt Short, blasting four sixes in his 31-ball 65 to keep the required run rate in check before falling with the Unicorns at 109/2.

Short and Sanjay Krishnamurthi added another valuable partnership, with Krishnamurthi contributing 26 before Tanveer Sangha broke the stand. Short’s 43 kept San Francisco within striking distance before his dismissal in the 17th over left the Unicorns needing 36 runs from the final 18 deliveries.

Hassan Khan then delivered one of the most explosive finishes of the season, smashing an unbeaten 36 off just 10 balls, including four sixes. Batting alongside Aaron Hardie, Hassan powered the Unicorns to the target with 20 runs in the penultimate over before sealing the victory with a towering six over midwicket, completing the six-wicket win with an over to spare.

The victory completes the Unicorns’ regular season atop the Major League Cricket standings with a top-two position likely, carrying momentum into the postseason as they return home to the Bay Area for the MLC Championship Final at the Oakland Coliseum.