Kieron Pollard Powers MI New York into MLC 2025 Final, Knocks Out TSK

@Pollard and Pooran celebrating after the win vs TSK MLC2025

Match Snapshot

• Match: Qualifier 2 (“Challenger”) 2025 Major League Cricket

• Date: 12 July 2025 (IST) local USA date: 11 July 2025

• Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

• Toss: MI New York won and decided to Field first

• Final Result: MI New York defeated by 7 wickets, they chased down 167   within 19 overs and with 6 balls remaining

• Player of the Match: Kieron Pollard who had a blistering 47* off 22 balls

Texas Super King's (First innings: 166/5 in 20 overs)

TSK started off at a slow rate of 43/3 in the requisite powerplay (overs 16) after   Smit Patel and Saiteja Mukkamalla were dismissed early. Faf du Plessis was   solid with a classy 59 of 42 balls (7 fours, 1 six) holding up the innings Middle overs were painful to TSK: they lost their wickets regularly, and their scoreline was not going anywhere, 85/5 on 12.4 overs when du Plessis had to leave. In comes the firecracker couple of Akeal Hosein and Donovan Ferreira: an unbroken 81-run partnership in only 44 balls, bringing impetus towards the end of the inning.Hosein got 55 off 32 balls* (4 fours, 4 sixes) and Ferreira contributed 32 off 20 balls*.Two dropped catches in the field (Hosein was dropped twice) meant that the score was at 166/5 after the 20th over.

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MI New York's Chase: (172/3 19 overs)

Following the cold opening, the pursuit of MI New York had speeded up:

• The opening pair Quinton de Kock provided a fast start but was dismissed on   6 off 8 balls.

• Monank Patel scored 49 off 39 (5 fours, 2 sixes) before being dismissed at 83/3 in the 12 th over

A crucial stand by Nicholas Pooran (52* off 36) and Kieron Pollard (47* off 22)   brought around the turning point. They combined 89*, which was aggressive in   tone with intentions to bowl down match-up bowlers such as Noor Ahmad of TSK Pollard especially indicated his intentions on the first ball itself which was an aggressive attitude that totally changed the momentum . MI scored 172/3 off 19 overs and won with 7 wickets in hand and one over   remaining.The hunt also included a flurry of boundaries in the last overs with an   explosive 66 in the last four overs alone

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Strategic Highlights and Breaking Points:

Toss: the Decisive Decision

The toss was won by MI New York who decided to field. The move came early and justified the move with early wickets and bowling pressure put on TSK. The call enabled MI to measure the pitch in extreme wet conditions and adjust to their chase. The Collapse of Middle Phase in Texas

Middle overs proved the undoing of TSK. Trailing by 5 wickets with 12.4 overs to go, and 3 wickets within powerplay, they started losing composure until Hosein-Ferreira counterattack brought back some form of balance Finishing Power MI New York

The partnership between Pooran and Pollard was a clutch cricket. The strike rate of Pollard (>200) and the slow but sure build up of Pooran meant that they took apart the TSK bowling in quick succession, especially against seamers and due to fatigue and lapses in the fielding department

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Fielding Lapses at a critical moment

TSK had Akeal Hosein dismissed twice towards the end of their innings and he       took the opportunity to shine and secure a match-defining partnership. They           were unable to create pressure in the field later in the chase of MI and this               denied them an opportunity to redeem themselves in terms of tighter overs  

Key Performers

• Kieron Pollard (MINY) - was Player of the Match, storming along at a rate of     47* off 22 balls (4×4, 3×6)**. He made his mark at the time when MI was in    need of a boost and the chase resulted into a rout.

• Nicholas Pooran (c MINY) - settled the innings, making 52 out of 36 balls*       and paving the way to the attack by Pollard

• Monank Patel - stable start 49 of 39 to build the chase in the first few overs

• Faf du Plessis (TSK) 59 off 42; the only warrior of Super Kings in the               batting    lineup who stood up against the collapse

• Akeal Hosein & Donovan Ferreira (TSK) A late blitz of 81 runs off 44 balls     which saved the TSK innings in what appeared to be a collapse-like                    beginning

Bowling Standouts:

•   Tristan Luus (MI) - 3/35

• Rushil Ugarkar 2-31

• Akeal Hosein (TSK) 1-11 3 overs, terrific death bowler

Conditions & Playing Surface

The pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium has a reputation of being a batting-friendly ground with a history of high scoring. But that day it held a little bit of the seamers early on and assisted MI New York to cash in on early wickets. Sky was partially cloudy, there was a low likelihood of rain (~15 %) and temperatures were high 2627 0 C with high humidity. Subsequently, dry overheads made the ball to come on nicely to the batters Broader Context & Implication:

• Prior to this match Head-to-head: TSK had been dominant in the 5                matches, winning 4 and one No-Result. This was the first MLC win by MI    over Texas ending the streak

• Tournament road: TSK went straight to Qualifier 1 and lost to rain that             made the game abandoned. MI New York is a team that was in the                   league      but had    suffered early defeats but had managed to survive the       Eliminator and this Challenger to reach the final

The win put MI New York in the MLC Final, against Washington Freedom, who advance there directly after finishing on top of the table in the aborted Qualifier 1. Everything indicates that it is going to culminate in a blockbuster finale on Sunday, 13 July 2025

Summary & Takeaway:

• MI New York with its tactical discipline, good core leadership and power finishing reversed a pitch that was dominated by TSK.

• The finishing fireworks of Kieron Pollard and the calmness of   Pooran constructed a chase that appeared formidable in the middle-   innings.

• The weakness of the middle order and fielding errors of Texas denied   them a good score in the first innings and resulted in MI chasing easily.

• This victory reversed the head‑to‑head trend and demonstrated the   growth and impetus before the final.

The game is as classic as it could ever be in terms of showing us that T20 cricket is a game of small margins where tactical understanding, pressure-performance, and personnel prowess at critical moments can change the script. Next Up

MI New York qualifies to the Final of MLC 2025 on 13 July 2025 in Grand Prairie, where they will face Washington Freedom--who qualified to the final by the rule of rain in Qualifier 1. The scene is now ready to play another epic battle where the cards are clearly in the hands of MI.

Brief Scores:

Texas Super Kings Innings: 166/5 (20 Overs) Faf du Plessis 59 off 42 Balls (7Fours & 1 Six), Akeal Hosein 55* off 32 (4 Fours & 4 Sixes)

MI New York Bowling:  Tristan Luus 3/35 (4 Overs), Rushil Ugarkar 2/31 (4   Overs).

MI New York Innings: 172/3 (19 Overs) Nicholas Pooran 52* off 36 Balls (4   Fours & 3 Sixes), Kieron Pollard 47* off 22 Balls (4 Fours & 3 Sixes)

Texas Super Kings Bowling: Akeal Hosein 1/11 (3 Overs), Noor Ahmad 1/29   (4 Overs)

Player of the Match: Kieron Pollard

Result: MI New York Won by 7 Wickets