San Francisco Unicorns Clinch MLC Playoff Berth with Dominant Win Over Seattle Orcas

The San Francisco Unicorns have clinched their place in the MLC 2025 playoffs, emerging victorious against the Seattle Orcas with a 32-run win in Dallas on Wednesday. This win marks their sixth consecutive victory, solidifying their position at the top of the league table. Conversely, the Orcas suffered their fifth consecutive loss and remain at the bottom of the standings.

San Francisco Unicorns players celebrate their triumph over the Seattle Orcas, securing their playoff berth.

The Unicorns' success was fueled by outstanding all-round performances from captain Matthew Short and Romario Shepherd, complemented by Haris Rauf's impressive four-wicket haul. These key contributions ensured the Unicorns won crucial moments throughout the match.

After being asked to bat first, the Unicorns faced an early setback with the loss of Finn Allen in the second over. However, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Short formed a solid 68-run partnership for the second wicket, providing stability and momentum to the innings. Fraser-McGurk was dismissed for a well-played 34 off 21 balls in the eighth over by left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, triggering a collapse that saw the Unicorns fall from 86 for 1 to 103 for 6. Short, who had an explosive innings with seven fours and two sixes, was dismissed for 52 by Harmeet, who also took the wicket of Hassan Khan in the same over.

Shepherd then propelled the Unicorns to a competitive total of 176 for 8 with a blistering 56 off 31 balls, including four sixes and four fours. Gerald Coetzee contributed with 3 for 34, taking key middle-order wickets.

Despite a promising start to their chase, the Orcas were unable to secure their first win of the season.

Shayan Jahangir provided early impetus, scoring 40 off 22 balls with a series of impressive shots. However, Shepherd struck a crucial blow by dismissing Jahangir in the seventh over.

In the following over, Short claimed two vital wickets, removing David Warner and Kyle Mayers. The Orcas struggled to recover from these setbacks, losing wickets at regular intervals. Shimron Hetmyer and Sujit Nayak attempted to rebuild the innings, but their efforts were short-lived. Rauf, who had earlier dismissed Heinrich Klaasen, wrapped up the innings by taking the wickets of Coetzee and Hetmyer in the 16th over and Cameron Gannon in the 18th, finishing with figures of 4 for 32.

Match Summary:

San Francisco Unicorns: 176 for 8 (Romario Shepherd 56, Matthew Short 52; Harmeet Singh 3-22, Gerald Coetzee 3-34)

Seattle Orcas: 144 all out (Shayan Jahangir 40; Haris Rauf 4-32, Short 3-12)