Pretorius’ hundred ends it
Lhuan-dre Pretorius blew the chase apart with a brutal, clean-striking 102 off 52 that left MI New York with no way back. San Francisco Unicorns hunted down 143 in 15.4 overs to win by 9 wickets with 26 balls remaining, barely needing a late push. The defining moment came as Pretorius surged through the middle overs, turning a steady start into a runaway finish.
Middle-overs acceleration decisive
The game was effectively won in the Unicorns’ middle phase: 94/1 at 9.7 an over after a powerplay that was already solid at 52/0. With the asking rate never climbing, Pretorius and Matthew Short kept finding boundaries without taking reckless risks, ensuring there was no “death” chase at all. By the time the partnership crossed fifty, MI’s total looked increasingly light and the fielding side’s options had narrowed.
Pretorius, Short set the tone
Pretorius’ strike rate of 196 was the match’s decisive force, and his 94-run partnership with Short ensured the chase stayed one-sided. Short also shaped the first innings with 3/24, repeatedly breaking momentum and keeping MI’s scoring in check. Aaron Hardie’s 2/17 and Haris Rauf’s 2/24 completed a disciplined effort that made 143 feel short on the night.
MI’s innings never kicked on
MI New York began brightly at 50/2 in the powerplay, but the innings stalled badly thereafter. Their middle overs produced 70/3 at 6.9 an over, and the squeeze tightened into the death where they managed only 23/4. The best stand—40 between Corey Anderson and Sunny Patel—offered brief stability, yet wickets and dot balls prevented any late surge to 160-plus.





