Pooran’s 55-ball 137* takes internet by storm as MI New-York lift MLC title

Nicholas Pooran pulverised the Seattle Orcas and powered MI New York to a spectacular 7-wicket victory in the final of the inaugural season of the American Major League Cricket.

Pooran is the captain of the New York franchised, owned by the Mumbai Indians franchise, and was in sublime form as his fearsome innings of 137*(55) in Dallas handed his team the first-ever championship in the MLC, chasing down 184 in just 16 overs.

The Orcas, who are co-owned by Delhi Capitals co-owners GMR, finished top of the table in the league stage and entered the finals after only losing one game all tournament. After easing to a 9-wicket win over the Texas Super Kings, the Seattle team were asked to bat by Pooran. The powerful lefty was standing in as captain in place of the injured Kieron Pollard, a man whose name is synonymous with the MI franchise.

Seattle had a slow start, put on the back foot by quality bowling by their opponents, and were batting at just a touch above 7 runs per over when Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed in the 13th over. Klaasen was the tournament’s first-ever centurion, in the group stage fixture against MINY. However, he would be dismissed by Rashid Khan, who went on to finish his tournament with remarkable figures of 3-9 in his 4 overs.

MI New York were a powerhouse team in the first edition, boasting of Pooran, Rashid, Trent Boult, Dewald Brevis, and Kagiso Rabada as their international names, amongst others. They were favourties entering the tournament, but Seattle had shown themselves to be a very capable and well-oiled team in all departments of the game as they won 5 of their 6 matches heading into the finals.

Despite the early setbacks, Quinton de Kock began to find his range, alongside Shubham Ranjane, as they stitched together a half-century stand. However, Boult would dismiss both batters, finishing with 3 wickets on the night and 22 wickets for the tournament — twice as many as the second-placed American Cameron Gannon.

While De Kock’s fine innings of 87(52) and a blitz 21*(7) from Dwaine Pretorius in the death pushed the Orcas to an above-par score of 183, they nonetheless missed the services of Dasun Shanaka, returned to Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League, and Shimron Hetmeyer, called up to the West Indian squad for the ongoing series against India.

Mumbai’s star-power proved to be the key in the final, with Boult, Rashid, and Pooran all shining, and it was perhaps the innings of Pooran’s life that earned them an ultimately comfortable if destructive victory. He entered in the very first over after an early dismissal, and never looked back. The West Indian southpaw was at his destructive best as he brought up his half-century in just 16 balls in the powerplay, during which he scored 9 maximums and 69 runs total.

Pooran’s power-hitting was spectacular, and despite the steep target, killed any hopes Seattle would have had, as even their best bowlers were thrashed by a rampaging Pooran. It was a true captain’s knock and a one-man-show in the best way possible, as Pooran ended his innings with 10 boundaries and 13 sixes, squeezing a yorker past fine-leg to seal the victory for New York on the final ball of the 16th over.

Pooran, who has always shown flashes of incredible talent and promise, put it together on a memorable night at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. His 137, scored at a blistering strike-rate touching nearly 250, pushed him to the top of the run-scorers list, and earned him the MVP award for the inaugural tournament. Boult ended as top wicket-taker, while Gannon received the best domestic player award for his 11 wickets for the Orcas.