MINY Knock Out SFU in Thriller

Trent Boult's crucial batting performance helped MI New York prevail against San Francisco Unicorns in a low-scoring thriller. With this win, last year's finalists are knocked out, and MINY will face Texas Super Kings in the Challenger on Friday.

Boult's team needed 25 off 22, but Hassan Khan's stirring spell had turned the tables on MINY. However, Boult carted two big sixes over deep mid-wicket to sway the game back in his team's favour. Sensible batting in the final over took MINY through to their first-ever win over SFU in MLC history.

The game swung wildly in both directions, with MINY dominating the first innings. Nicholas Pooran won the toss, and his bowlers ripped through SFU's top-order. Nosthush Kenjige and Boult took two wickets each inside the PowerPlay.

Matthew Short's team was down to 16 for 5 in the fifth over when Hassan exited for a duck through a run-out. Cooper Connolly attempted to drag his team out of the quagmire, but Tristan Luus and Rushil Ugarkar kept up the bowling pressure.

Xavier Bartlett played a crucial role in SFU's resistance, adding 59 runs off 32 balls with Brody Couch. Bartlett's 24-ball 44 dragged the Unicorns to 133, which still appeared sub-par.

MINY were solid at the start, but the wheels came off against spin. Short brought himself on in the seventh over and struck twice, dismissing de Kock and Pooran to ramp up some pressure. Monank Patel and Michael Bracewell found themselves in a shell as they dragged the team to 58/2 at the halfway stage.

The asking rate had climbed, but just when Monank started to open up, Short returned to send him packing in the 13th over. The momentum began to shift once more when Bartlett dismissed Kieron Pollard in the 14th, and left-arm spinner Hassan Khan followed that with two stirring overs.

As it turned out, the game flipped back on its head in Hassan's next over through Boult, who then coolly led the team past the finish line in the final over with an unbeaten 22.

Brief Scores: San Francisco Unicorns 133 (Xavier Bartlett 44; Rushil Ugarkar 3-19, Trent Boult 2-19) lost to MI New York 132/8 (Monank Patel 33, Quinton de Kock 33, Trent Boult 22*; Hassan Khan 4-30, Matthew Short 3-22) by 2 wickets