MI New York crush LA Knight Riders by 41 runs as Nicholas Pooran shines, Romario Shepherd creates MLC history

MI New York produced a clinical all-round display to defeat the Los Angeles Knight Riders by 41 runs in Match 12 of the 2026 Major League Cricket season at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Saturday.

After Nicholas Pooran rescued his side with a composed unbeaten half-century, MI New York's bowlers orchestrated a remarkable collapse to seal a comfortable victory.Asked to bat first after LA Knight Riders won the toss, MI New York found scoring difficult on a surface that offered assistance to both pacers and spinners. Quinton de Kock provided early momentum with a brisk 33 off just 17 deliveries, but his dismissal triggered a middle-order wobble.Andre Russell exploited the conditions superbly, tearing through the batting line-up with figures of 4/35 as MI New York slipped to 75/5. With wickets falling around him, Pooran shifted gears, opting for patience before accelerating in the latter stages of the innings. The left-hander struck five sixes in an unbeaten 70 off 58 balls to guide MI New York to a competitive total of 144/6 from their 20 overs.The chase began exactly as LA Knight Riders would have hoped.

Openers Andre Fletcher and Colin Munro dominated the powerplay, racing to 49 without loss in the first six overs. Fletcher looked particularly dangerous during his 44-run knock, while Munro contributed 20 as the pair put MI New York under pressure.However, the contest turned dramatically following Munro's run-out at 53/1. What looked like a routine chase quickly unraveled as the Knight Riders lost wickets at regular intervals in one of the most astonishing collapses of the tournament.Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige applied the squeeze through the middle overs with career-best figures of 3/21, while

Romario Shepherd

delivered an extraordinary spell of control. The West Indies all-rounder conceded just five runs in his four overs, including two maidens, finishing with 1/5, the most economical four-over spell in Major League Cricket history.Corbin Bosch then wrapped up the innings in style. The South African pacer removed both Jason Holder and Andre Russell for ducks in the same over before ending with figures of 3/26 as the Knight Riders were bowled out for 103 in 17.5 overs.