Holder, Russell bowl Knight Riders to a close win

For the second time on the same day, MLC 2026 saw movement in the top half of the points table as Los Angeles Knight Riders edged table-toppers San Francisco Unicorns by 11 runs. The Knight Riders jumped to second, level on points with Unicorns but behind on NRR. MI New York are also on 10 points at third spot.

The evening fixture in Dallas ebbed and flowed throughout before Jason Holder and Andre Russell turned the game decisively. The Unicorns bowled well at the death, picking four wickets and conceding 38 in the last five overs to keep LA to 184/7. Colin Munro (52 off 43) and Andre Russell (40 off 18) powered the first half, with Matthew Tromp adding 49 off 28.

Holder then struck three times in the Powerplay, removing both openers Finn Allen, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Sanjay Krishnamurthi. Russell had Aaron Hardie caught and bowled as Unicorns slumped to 42/4 in the fifth over.

Hassan Khan (45) and Matthew Short (43) added 76 runs over the next nine overs to revive the chase. But Lloyd Pope broke the stand, dismissing Hassan in the 14th over. Ali Khan removed Short early in the 15th. Shadley van Schalkwyk then dismissed Xavier Bartlett, but Hammad Azam kept it alive with three sixes in the 17th over. With 37 needed off 18, Hammad struck boundaries off Van Schalkwyk and Holder, but the Knight Riders captain trapped him lbw to end his 19-ball 40. The last pair needed 12 off 6, but Russell bounced out Haris Rauf on the first ball of the final over.

Brief Scores: Los Angeles Knight Riders 184/7 in 20 overs (Colin Munro 52, Matthew Tromp 49, Andre Russell 40; Haris Rauf 3-25, Xavier Bartlett 2-24) beat San Francisco Unicorns 173 in 19.1 overs (Hassan Khan 45, Matthew Short 43, Hammad Azam 40; Jason Holder 4-40, Andre Russell 3-42) by 11 runs