MLC 2025: Unmukt Chand, Andre Russell star in Los Angeles Knight Riders' first win; Seattle Orcas remain winless

Los Angeles Knight Riders secured their first victory in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, defeating Seattle Orcas by six wickets. Unmukt Chand's unbeaten 86 off 58 balls and Andre Russell's bowling figures of 3-30 were instrumental in the Knight Riders' successful chase of 178 runs, achieving the target in 18.2 overs.Seattle Orcas won the toss and chose to bat, posting a total of 177/6 in their allotted 20 overs. The opening partnership between Shayan Jahangir and David Warner provided a strong start, scoring 33 runs in 3.2 overs.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Aaron Jones emerged as the top scorer for Seattle Orcas with 44 runs, while David Warner contributed 38 runs to the innings. However, the Orcas' momentum was disrupted in the middle overs as they lost regular wickets to the Knight Riders' bowling attack.

Andre Russell's bowling performance proved crucial as he claimed three important wickets, including Heinrich Klaasen and Shimron Hetmyer. Despite late hitting efforts from Sikandar Raza and Hetmyer, the Orcas' innings concluded with a modest two-run over off Russell.The Knight Riders' chase began with early setbacks as they lost both Alex Hales and Nitish Kumar with only 12 runs on the board. Both batters were caught behind the wicket, putting pressure on the incoming lineup.

Unmukt Chand then took control of the innings, forming a match-winning partnership of 139 runs with Saif Badar. Chand reached his half-century off 39 balls and continued to accelerate the scoring rate afterward.

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aif Badar played an aggressive innings, scoring 54 runs off 32 balls before falling to Sikandar Raza. His contribution was vital in maintaining the required run rate during the middle overs of the chase.Sherfane Rutherford provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 20 off just 9 balls. He sealed the victory in style, hitting a six to complete the Knight Riders' successful run chase.The victory marked Los Angeles Knight Riders' first points in the MLC 2025 season after three previous defeats. For Seattle Orcas, this loss represented their fourth consecutive defeat in the tournament.The final scorecard showed Seattle Orcas scoring 177/6 in 20 overs, with Andre Russell taking 3 wickets for 30 runs. Los Angeles Knight Riders reached the target with 178/4 in 18.2 overs, with Unmukt Chand remaining unbeaten on 86 and Sikandar Raza being the most economical bowler with figures of 1-27.