Major League Cricket 2023 ended with a bang as MI New York’s stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran stole the show with his extra-ordinary performance in the final match. He played a magnificent innings of 137 runs in 55 balls to lift the inaugural MLC title. MI New York, while chasing the target of 184 runs in 20 overs, lost a wicket in the first over without opening the run account, but Nicholas Pooran, after coming in at number 3, played a memorable innings for his team and remained unbeaten, making his team achieve the target in just 16 overs, registering a thumping 7 wicket victory over the Seattle Orcas.
Seattle Orcas, while batting first in the final match, riding on Quinton de Kock’s 87-run innings, put a defendable total of 183 runs on the scoreboard, but the storm that Nicholas Pooran brought to the field at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas was worth watching as the left-handed batter hit sixes all over the park, bringing his century in just 40 balls in which he hit 10 sixes. He continued his innings and scored an unbeaten 137 runs with 13 sixes and 10 fours, destroying the bowlers of Seattle Orcas. Nicholas Pooran finished his inaugural MLC season as the leading run scorer.
“We spoke today about having an opportunity to do something special. I am very proud of everything every individual did and everyone contributed in some way. The people in the dressing room told me that I just needed to bat like Nicky P and not think about batting like the captain. I just backed my skills. The platform was there today and the opportunity was there.”
Nicky P said
Seattle Orcas’ captain Wayne Parnell after losing final said:
Whenever someone plays like that, you have to give them credit. Credit to Nicky and his team. It did not look like he (Pooran) would mishit a ball today. We put up a decent total but we have to give them credit today. The first MLC season has gone really well. Credit to everyone who has organized it. Credit to our owners and the management for picking this team and giving us the freedom to play this brand of cricket.
Wayne Parnell said
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