Matthew Short and Brody Couch star as San Francisco Unicorns crush MI New York to go top

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The San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) produced a clinical all-round performance to register a five-wicket victory over MI New York (MINY) in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026. Riding on a dominant bowling display led by Matthew Short and Brody Couch before an unbeaten knock from Sanjay Krishnamurthi, the Unicorns chased down a modest target of 105 with 19 balls to spare.

The convincing win propelled San Francisco to the top of the MLC 2026 points table. Although four teams are currently tied on eight points, the Unicorns boast the best net run rate among them, further strengthening their playoff credentials.

Asked to bat first, MI New York endured a disappointing outing as they were bundled out for just 104 in exactly 20 overs. The San Francisco pace attack laid the perfect platform, with Couch striking three crucial blows while Xavier Bartlett, Haris Rauf and Aaron Hardie maintained relentless pressure by conceding runs at economical rates.

Short then took over with the ball, producing a superb spell of off-spin to claim outstanding figures of 4/17 from his four overs. His timely breakthroughs prevented MI New York from building any meaningful partnerships throughout the innings. Nicholas Pooran (20) and Corbin Bosch (21) were the only batters to cross the 20-run mark, but neither could convert their starts into a substantial score as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

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Chasing 105, the Unicorns suffered an early setback as Faisal Khan dismissed both openers cheaply. However, Short steadied the innings with a brisk 21 off 20 deliveries before adding a useful partnership with Krishnamurthi. Although Tristan Luus kept MI New York in the contest by removing both Short and Hardie, the target proved too small to create sustained pressure on the batting side.

Krishnamurthi held one end firmly, compiling a composed unbeaten 48 off 45 balls to anchor the chase. His measured innings ensured there were no further hiccups as San Francisco Unicorns comfortably reached the target in 16.5 overs, sealing a five-wicket victory and moving to the summit of the MLC 2026 standings.

A convincing win in the end and the Unicorns are back on top of the table ✨🙌#MLC2026 #MINYvsSF

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 6, 2026

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