Unmukt Chand Shines as LA Knight Riders Defeat Seattle Orcas in Style

The Los Angeles Knight Riders continued their impressive run in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, clinching a 6-wicket win against the Seattle Orcas at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. Chasing 178, Unmukt Chand stole the spotlight with a classy 86 off 58 balls*, ensuring LAKR maintained their strong position in the league standings.

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Also Read : MLC 2025 Full Schedule, Fixtures & Key Matches

Seattle Orcas put up a respectable 177/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to contributions from Aaron Jones (44 off 36), David Warner (38 off 28), and Shayan Jahangir (26 off 15). Despite regular breakthroughs by the Orcas bowlers, Unmukt Chand’s composed 86 and a quickfire 54 from Saif Badar* powered the Knight Riders to 178/4 in just 18.2 overs, sealing a comfortable win.

Seattle Orcas Innings:

• Orcas got off to a decent start but failed to convert starts into big scores.
• Aaron Jones anchored the innings but lacked acceleration when needed.
• Andre Russell’s 3/30 halted their momentum, ensuring the total stayed under 180.
• Seattle’s 11 wides and 2 no-balls reflected discipline issues with the bat and ball.

Los Angeles Knight Riders Innings:

• Early trouble at 7/2 with Hales and Nitish Kumar dismissed cheaply.
• Chand and Badar’s 139-run stand flipped the game on its head, punishing loose bowling.
• Despite a couple of late wickets, Sherfane Rutherford’s 20 off 9* finished the chase in style.

Los Angeles Knight Riders

• Strengths:
  • Top-order depth, anchored by experienced Unmukt Chand
  • Power-hitting options in middle-late order (Rutherford, Powell, Russell)
  • Versatile bowling attack with seam and spin options
• Weaknesses:
  • Fragile start; early collapses could hurt against stronger bowling units
  • Inconsistent death bowling in pressure games

Seattle Orcas

• Strengths:
  • Experienced batting unit with Warner, Jones, and Hetmyer
  • Quality all-round options in Sikandar Raza and Mayers
• Weaknesses:
  • Lack of killer instinct while defending totals
  • Bowling attack leaking runs at crucial junctures

• Unmukt Chand (LA Knight Riders): 86* (58) | 10 Fours, 4 Sixes
• Saif Badar (LA Knight Riders): 54 (32) | 6 Fours, 4 Sixes
• Andre Russell (LA Knight Riders): 4-0-30-3
• Aaron Jones (Seattle Orcas): 44 (36) | 1 Four, 2 Sixes

• Los Angeles Knight Riders: Unmukt Chand, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell
• Seattle Orcas: David Warner, Aaron Jones, Sikandar Raza

The Grand Prairie Stadium surface offered good pace and bounce for batters. Bowlers who used variations succeeded—Andre Russell’s slower deliveries proving especially effective. The quick outfield made ground fielding a premium requirement, something Seattle lacked.

Seattle Orcas

• Started positively but didn’t capitalize; struggled to contain boundaries during middle overs.

Los Angeles Knight Riders

• Trusted their middle-order strength, and despite early hiccups, executed the chase clinically with well-timed aggression.

Catch Major League Cricket 2025 live on Willow TV, with streaming and highlights available on ESPNcricinfo and Cricbuzz.

• On-field Umpires: Leslie Reifer, Billy Taylor
• TV Umpire: Paul Wilson
• Match Referee: Jeff Crowe

Los Angeles Knight Riders proved why they’re one of the favorites in MLC 2025, riding on Unmukt Chand’s masterclass and a fiery knock from Saif Badar. For Seattle Orcas, it’s another game of missed chances. With the tournament heating up, every match now carries massive playoff implications. Expect fireworks in the next encounters!