Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Today's victory means MI New York stays in the Playoff hunt, and the Los Angeles Knight Riders are officially out! And that's a wrap on today's MLC action! Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for a double-header! Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub, signing off on behalf of K Vairavan and the entire ESPNcricinfo crew. Goodnight and goodbye!

Nicholas Pooran: "First of all, give Jesus our praise and thanks. We know we're coming to different conditions. Today it's tough. The rain has been around, and the conditions actually suited us a bit, swinging a bit there. And obviously, we have a world-class bowler. Trent there. And today, he was up for the challenge. He wanted the new ball. He wanted to swing it. We put some pressure on him as well. Told him it's similar conditions to Test cricket, so let's see what's going to happen. And he stood up for us. Getting those two wickets in the Powerplay overs is really, really important. And the way the spinners bowled, Sherfane played a really good innings there, putting the pressure on the spinners as well. The way Polly [Pollard] came and used the experience and the condition was exceptional. That's something we keep speaking about in the dressing room. We want to use the conditions. Why are the other teams using the conditions better than us? And today, we use the condition really nicely. I'm just really happy that we can restrict them, and kudos to the bowlers. [Structure the plan] Partnership, really important, a left-right combination. Monank has been batting well throughout the tournament, and today, it was just really important for us to get that partnership. The game obviously played out for us, where we knew Sunil was going to have the ball and try to get wickets earlier. Now, the plan was just to try to play him out as much as possible, but by having good intent towards him as well as trying to score, he's world-class. Kudos to him again. Well bowled, but in that partnership it's difficult to bowl to a left-right combination. And I think that Monank played really well and put the pressure on them. Allow me to get in and obviously come back, coming onto the back end, that was a bit easy, and the game just played off itself."

Most Valuable Player, Trent Boult: "[Wicket taking master in the first over] I wouldn't say the master, but I have a very clear role to try to take wickets. We know what wickets are and how important they are in this format. Obviously, some humid conditions, but a swing around. You just have to make the most of those conditions. So nice to see the stumps light up a couple of times tonight. You've got to have a plan B. I think in some cases, a Plan C is important as well. And I think the best bowlers in the world move between those plans quick enough to not get hurt too quickly. But yeah, I suppose I'm experienced enough to have played around the world in different conditions, and the sooner you read the conditions, I think, as a bowler, and the sooner you're in control, it's always a good step. [Swing the ball] A lot of practice. But as a young kid growing up, I used to aspire to many fast bowlers that swung the ball, and T20 Cricket can be a lot of big sixes and big scores. There's a big place for swing bowling still in this game. So, hopefully not just myself but a lot of the swing bowlers around the world are inspiring kids to want to come up and try to move the ball."

Jason Holder: "As I said at the toss, I thought it was very crucial. It was quite tacky up front, the ball spun, and it made it a little bit difficult up front to get going. I think both teams struggle up front. The ball still seems to run a lot and still grips at the same time. So, not easy conditions to get going in, and it's hard to gauge, what a good total would be. And obviously, it's very wet in the second half. [Andre Russell at number 3] I just think that he's in a position where he needs a little bit more time. He came in the last game and did a really good job for us. So we just continue with the same vein. I thought he got off to a pretty good start. Unfortunately, got up to one that kept a little bit low. But that's cricket. Look, I think we've had great sparks in each game; we've done a lot of good things. As I said at the toss, just a matter for us to put together a complete game, having said that, we've let ourselves down in the field. Even tactically, in terms of our bowling and batting, we just fall to that crucial stage in the game. I don't think we seize the really good moments in each and every game that we had to win, and you know it definitely cost us in the end."

11:20 pm What a commanding victory for MI New York, a true statement win that puts them back on track! The chase began with immediate drama: two dropped catches in the first two overs gave the batters a couple of lifelines. Sunil Narine was brought into the attack in the third over and proved to be unplayable on this pitch. Quinton de Kock narrowly survived two close LBW shouts but eventually chipped a catch to slip on the last ball of Narine's over. The excitement didn't stop there; in Narine's very next over, two more catches were put down behind the stumps, and another chance flew over the slip fielder's head. In the eighth over, the Knight Riders' game awareness issue continued when they failed to appeal for Nicholas Pooran's caught behind chance off the outside edge. Monank Patel and Nicholas Pooran exhibited remarkable poise in the face of all the early mayhem, which included wasted opportunities, poor fielding, and a pitch that offered turn, swing, and bounce. They steadily kept the scoreboard ticking as they negotiated the minefield pitch in the early session. Monank Patel and his captain bult an incredible 112-run partnership off 84 balls, with Patel scoring a vital 56 runs off 44 balls. With a brilliant 62 runs off 47 deliveries, Pooran remained unbeaten till the end of the match. Since Narine's overs provided the majority of the Knight Riders' chances to take wickets on this turning track, they really felt the absence of an extra spinner or two. In the end, the Knight Riders' problems continue to exist, especially with their bowling and fielding.

MI New York won by 8 wickets

17.6
1w
Ali Khan to Pooran, 1 wide, Bouncer ball fired in at the stumps, a wild swing of the bat, but the batter failed to connect. A wide delivery called by the square leg umpire, and that's the end of the match

Scores level

17.5
1
Ali Khan to Pollard, 1 run, slower length ball on the pads, knocked around square leg
17.5
1w
Ali Khan to Pollard, 1 wide, Too full and wide outside off
17.4
0
Ali Khan to Pollard, no run, widish yorker length ball outside off, taps it gently to the off-side area
17.3
6
Ali Khan to Pollard, SIX, back-to-back sixes! Short pitched ball this one pitching outside off, Pollard struck it hard and flat over the on-side boundary ropes
17.2
6
Ali Khan to Pollard, SIX, Stand and deliver! Short pitched ball right in the hitting zone of Pollard, full swing of the bat and dispatched over deep square leg!
17.1
0
Ali Khan to Pollard, no run, Short of a good length ball around the off stump line, moves onto the back foot and smothered to extra cover

Pollard brings out a bail from his pocket and knocks it with the handle of the bat on the ground; it reminds me of Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the early 2000s.

END OF OVER:
17 | 16 Runs 1 Wkt | MI NY: 140/2 (15 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.23, RRR: 5.00)

  • Nicholas Pooran62 (47b)
  • Kieron Pollard1 (1b)
  • Andre Russell4-0-43-1
  • Ali Khan3-0-27-0
16.6
4
Russell to Pooran, FOUR, whips it to the boundary! Pooran wants to finish it quickly now. Short pitched ball with plenty of room offered to free his arms, drags it down firmly through the widish backward square leg area
16.5
1
Russell to Pollard, 1 run, short of a length ball on middle-leg, glanced away off the hips for a single

Kieron Pollard in at number 4

16.4
W
Russell to Patel, OUT, Russell gets the breakthrough! A tad fuller length ball on the fourth stump line, he leans forward and tries to play it over the covers, miscuing the stroke and connecting with the toe end of the bat, sending it high in the air to the mid-off area. Powell moves to his right side from extra cover, settles underneath, and completes the catch.

MD Patel c Powell b Russell 56 (44b 6x4 1x6) SR: 127.27

16.3
1
Russell to Pooran, 1 run, Full and straight on the stumps, hoicks it down the ground to long on
16.2
4
Russell to Pooran, FOUR, Widish full-toss ball outside off, easy pickings for Nicky P. Presents the full face of the bat and lofted it over the cover fielder
16.1
6
Russell to Pooran, SIX, Pooran brings up his fifty with a biggie! Full and overpitched ball on the pads, he goes down on one knee and pumps it over backward square leg for a maximum! Raises his bat towards the dugout and sends the flying kiss to the stands.

END OF OVER:
16 | 6 Runs | MI NY: 124/1 (31 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.75, RRR: 7.75)

  • Monank Patel56 (43b)
  • Nicholas Pooran47 (43b)
  • Ali Khan3-0-27-0
  • Andre Russell3-0-27-0

Strategic Timeout

15.6
0
Ali Khan to Patel, no run, Another attempted yorker turned into low full-toss on the leg stump, plays across the line and inside edged onto the pads
15.5
0
Ali Khan to Patel, no run, Brilliant yorker ball on middle-leg, squeezed to short fine leg

New York 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st23Q de KockMD Patel
2nd112N PooranMD Patel
3rd20KA PollardN Pooran