The San Francisco Unicorns sealed their place in the playoffs of the Major League Cricket 2025 season with a commanding 32-run win over the Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday. The victory marked SFU’s sixth consecutive win in the tournament, powered by a dominant all-round display from skipper Matthew Short and Romario Shepherd. Both players not only smashed quickfire half-centuries but also contributed with the ball, picking up crucial wickets to ensure a comprehensive win.
Batting first after being asked to bat, the Unicorns were given a flying start by the Australian duo of Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk. The pair stitched a rapid 68-run partnership off just 40 balls following the early dismissal of Finn Allen. Short, in particular, looked in sublime touch, racing to 52 off 29 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes. However, both batters fell in quick succession, triggering a middle-order collapse that saw SFU slump from 86/1 to 103/6.
Just when it looked like the innings might falter, Romario Shepherd stepped up with a counter-attacking knock. The West Indian all-rounder smashed 56 runs off just 31 balls, hitting four sixes and four boundaries to help SFU recover and post a competitive total of 176/8. His late blitz ensured 46 runs came off the last four overs. For the Orcas, Harmeet Singh stood out with the ball, taking 3/22 in his four overs, while Gerald Coetzee also picked up three wickets.
In response, the Seattle Orcas started strongly, racing to 59 without loss in the powerplay. Opener Shayan Jahangir provided a solid start with a brisk 40 off 22 balls, laced with three sixes and a four. But once the initial partnership was broken, the innings quickly unraveled. Pacer Haris Rauf wreaked havoc in the middle overs, returning figures of 4/32 and dismantling the Orcas’ middle order.
🎯 Haris Rauf comes back strong after getting hit for a 6!
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Matthew Short continued his all-round heroics by bowling a tight spell of 3/12 in four overs, while Shepherd chipped in with two more wickets to cap off a brilliant all-round display. Except for Shimron Hetmyer, who made a quick 30 off 16 balls, the rest of the Orcas’ batting lineup failed to offer resistance. The team was eventually bowled out for 144, handing SFU a convincing win and a confident entry into the playoffs.