Nicholas Pooran smashes ton as MI New York win Major League Cricket title

After years of talks, planning and pandemic delays, the inaugural season of Major League Cricket finally came to fruition in 2023.

The six-team tournament started on 14 July, featuring three teams owned in part by IPL franchises (Texas Super Kings – Chennai Super Kings, MI New York – Mumbai Indians, LA Knight Riders – Kolkata Knight Riders).

MI New York may have finished fourth after the group stage, but after besting the Washington Freedom in the Eliminator and overpowering the Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 2, they met table-toppers Seattle Orcas in the final.

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Who won Major League Cricket 2023?

After choosing to field first, MI New York were set a target of 184 from 20 overs. Seattle Orcas wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was the star of the innings, with a brisk 87 off 52 balls. MI New York bowlers Rashid Khan and Trent Boult finished with three wickets each.

— Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 31, 2023

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With runs on the board, Seattle would have felt confident in limiting MI NY, even more so when Imad Wasim sent Steven Taylor packing in the very first over.

However, that was as good as it got for Seattle as it brought stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran to the crease. He began his onslaught in the same over, smashing Imad for two sixes.

Pooran got to his fifty off just 16 balls, powering MI NY to 80/2 after six overs, breaking the back of the chase. He continued on his merry way, eventually reaching three figures off just 40 deliveries. He entertained until the very end, lifting Harmeet Singh for three consecutive sixes in the 15th over.

— Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 31, 2023

Finishing on 137 not out from just 55 balls, Pooran fittingly sealed the victory with four overs remaining by digging out a yorker from Cameron Gannon for four. He hit a total of 10 boundaries and 13 sixes.

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