MLC 2025: Xavier Bartlett’s brilliance seals third straight win for SF Unicorns

The San Francisco Unicorns continued their winning run in Major League Cricket 2025 with a stunning three-wicket win over MI New York, thanks to an ice-cool finish from Xavier Bartlett, who struck his maiden T20 fifty under high pressure. Chasing a challenging 183 at the Oakland Coliseum, SFU found themselves in deep trouble at 24 for 3 and then 42 for 4, with big names like Finn Allen, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Cooper Connolly falling cheaply. It looked like MI New York, powered by strong knocks from Nicholas Pooran (57) and Kieron Pollard (30 off 16) in the first innings, would seal their first win of the season.

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But a gritty 43 off 17 balls from Hassan Khan gave the chase much-needed momentum. Still, when Seifert departed for a composed 33, the game tilted again in MI’s favour.

The required rate was climbing, and pressure was mounting.

Then enter Xavier Bartlett, the Australian pacer turned unlikely batting hero, smashing 59* off 25 balls in a breathtaking display of clean hitting. Even after the loss of Corey Anderson, Bartlett showed nerves of steel, bringing the game home with a six off the first ball of the final over. His partnership with Haris Rauf 10*, who kept rotating strike and offering encouragement, proved vital.

Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Earlier, Bartlett had also chipped in with the ball (4-0-32-1), while Haris Rauf (2/24) and Hassan Khan (2/54) kept MI in check despite late fireworks. This was SFU’s third consecutive win, and arguably their most dramatic. A comeback crafted through belief, resilience, and a stunning all-round performance from Bartlett.