Seattle Orcas Defeat Los Angeles Knight Riders in MLC 2026 Thriller

Seattle Orcas Defeat Los Angeles Knight Riders in MLC 2026 Thriller

The 14th match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 delivered a gripping Western Derby as the Seattle Orcas overcame the Los Angeles Knight Riders in a high-stakes night game at the Oakland Coliseum on June 28, 2026. Seattle’s disciplined defensive batting allowed them to outperform Los Angeles’ star-heavy squad, with the turning point coming in the final overs of the first innings.

Dasun Shanaka’s Century-Speed Knock Propels Seattle Orcas to Competitive Total

Chasing a challenging target, the Orcas faced early struggles as Los Angeles bowlers Sunil Narine (2-17) and Fabian Allen (2-18) dismantled their top order. Shayan Jahangir (5), Matthew Breetzke (2), and Shimron Hetmyer (16) fell cheaply, leaving Seattle reeling at 72/6 by the 14th over. Skipper Marcus Stoinis’ dismissal for 10 deepened concerns, but Young Ali Sheikh’s resilient 38* off 29 balls (4x4s, 1×6) added spark to the innings.

The game turned with Dasun Shanaka’s electrifying half-century. The Sri Lankan all-rounder smashed 58 runs off 23 balls (3x4s, 5x6s) at a strike rate of 252.17, targeting Ali Khan’s leaky spell (50 runs in 4 overs). His explosive 21-ball 50 off the critical strikeout of Stoinis lifted Seattle to 154/7, ensuring a defensible total.

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Seattle’s Spin Dominance Stifles Los Angeles Chasers

Los Angeles’ chase began brightly with Colin Munro (33 off 36) and Andre Fletcher (23 off 13), who hit two sixes apiece. Their momentum stalled when Jasdeep Singh dismissed Fletcher in the Powerplay’s final over, leaving the Knight Riders at 43/2. Unmukt Chand’s duck in the next over further crippled their hopes.

Seattle’s spin duo of Harmeet Singh (2-20) and Ansh Tandon (2-17) stifled the Middle Overs, accounting for Saif Badar (18) and Rohan Nullogama (11). With the score at 98/5, Rovman Powell (17) and Sunil Narine (5) failed to accelerate as Jasdeep Singh struck twice in the death overs. Jason Holder (21) and Matthew Tromp (17) provided late resistance, but Seattle’s Jasdeep Singh (3-28) and Stoinis (1-19) sealed the 20-run victory.

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And that’ll do it! The Seattle Orcas win by 20 runs pic.twitter.com/1eDPhRSXkQ

— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) June 29, 2026

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