Hetmyer's Unbeaten Blitz Secures Third Straight Win for Seattle Orcas in MLC 2025

Shimron Hetmyer continued his stellar form, powering the Seattle Orcas to a thrilling four-wicket victory over the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025. This win marks the Orcas' third consecutive triumph in the tournament.

Shimron Hetmyer celebrates his match-winning innings for Seattle Orcas.

Hetmyer's explosive innings of 78 not out from just 37 balls, including four boundaries and seven towering sixes, guided the Orcas to successfully chase down the target of 169 with three balls to spare at Lauderhill.

The San Francisco Unicorns, after winning the toss and electing to bat, managed to post a total of 168/5 in their allotted 20 overs on a sluggish pitch. Despite an early setback with the loss of Matthew Short, they capitalized on the powerplay, reaching 51/2 in the first six overs. Sanjay Krishnamurthi top-scored for the Unicorns with a well-compiled 41, while Jake Fraser-McGurk contributed a valuable 35.

Krishnamurthi's ability to clear the boundary ropes injected much-needed momentum into the Unicorns' innings during the middle overs, propelling the team to 100/3 by the 12th over. A late surge in the final three overs, led by Tim Seifert, Hassan Khan, and Romario Shepherd, saw them accumulate 40 crucial runs, setting a competitive target for the Orcas.

Seattle Orcas faced early turbulence in their chase, losing both Steven Taylor and Kyle Mayers to the bowling of Xavier Bartlett. The team struggled to 31/2 during the powerplay overs, placing immense pressure on their middle order.

The situation worsened with the departure of Shayan Jahangir and Sikandar Raza around the 10th over, leaving Hetmyer with a daunting rescue mission. However, the West Indian powerhouse responded emphatically, launching three sixes within his first seven deliveries.

The equation eventually boiled down to 55 runs required from the last 30 balls. Hetmyer found a reliable partner in Aaron Jones, and together they systematically chipped away at the target. Hetmyer consistently found the boundaries at critical junctures, keeping the Orcas in the hunt.

The 16th over proved decisive. Hetmyer began it with a towering six off Matthew Short and followed it up with smart, quick singles. In the following over, he smashed another six off Liam Plunkett, although Jones was dismissed attempting to clear the deep square leg boundary.

Needing eight runs from the final over, Hetmyer sealed the victory in emphatic style, launching a six over long-on and then securing the winning runs with a stylish cut shot through the off-side.

This victory significantly strengthens Seattle Orcas' position in the playoffs race. Conversely, it creates further complications for MI New York and LA Knight Riders, who now trail the fourth playoff spot by a significant margin of four points.

Brief Scores:

San Francisco Unicorns: 168/5 in 20 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 41, Jake Fraser-McGurk 35; Ayan Desai 2-32)

Seattle Orcas: 169/6 in 19.3 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 78*, Shayan Jahangir 36; Xavier Bartlett 2-24)

Seattle Orcas won by 4 wickets