WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!! MI NEW YORK – WINNERS, MLC 2025!
By MI New York Media
Yes, yes, yes! Tell the world, announce the crowning, MI New York are the Kings of the USA, the Champions of the Cognizant MLC 2025! It’s time to add some more Gold to our Blue.
And what a game it was. An absolute cliffhanger that lasted till the very end. It really looked like the Washington Freedom had the chase well under control, but MI New York, in typical MI New York fashion, pulled off the chase with a new hero being unearthed in the process, Rushil Ugarkar. This is what a big final is about. The past doesn’t matter. It doesn’t make a difference that the team won just one game in the first seven games. We peaked when it mattered, we won when it mattered. And how!
Oh Rushil, you Champ, Rushil
Entrusted with bowling the final over against two monster batters in Glenn Maxwell and Glenn Phillips, defending just 12 runs, this young USA bowler stepped up to the occasion like he’s done all season. Bowling the tough overs and winning the big moments is something he loves, and once again, he was right up for it.
Just singles came off the first two deliveries. The third ball was a wonderfully disguised slower one that Maxwell swung and missed. He picked out deep mid-wicket off another top slower delivery off the fourth, snuck in another dot off the fifth. MI New York were through. A young USA fast bowler stood up against the best in the world to carry us home.
Trent Boult sets it up
No better way to set it up than with a wicket off the first ball. Trent Boult, as usual, wasted no time in getting into the act, having Michael Owen caught off the first ball. And to top it up, had Andries Gous caught by Pollard off the fifth ball. The tone was set, MINY were on the prowl in their defence of 180.
Although Freedom looked in control of their chase with Rachin Ravindra, Jack Edwards and Phillips going strong and the asking rate staying within reach, we just didn’t throw in the towel. We hung in there, ensured the asking rate stayed over eight-an-over at all times, and kept the pressure up.
Quinny’s night to set it up
He might have had a quiet tournament so far, but come the big night, Quinton de Kock absolutely nailed it. A 46-ball 77 with six fours and four sixes, he set the platform with Monank Patel playing second fiddle. Although there was a bit of a middle-order collapse, a quickfire 13-ball 22 from Kunwarjeet Singh powered the team to a solid total.
And it was enough on the big night. The pressure of runs on the scoreboard never deceives. Another piece of silverware has been added to our already studded trophy cabinet. #2 in the USA is in the bag. Start the party!!
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It wasn’t our day. On the wrong side of the toss and put in to bat when the pitch was sticky, the MI New York batters just couldn’t get going. Undone by some sharp bowling, it was a late effort from the tail that got us past 100, and then our seamers tried hard too, but with the ball skidding on under lights and the advantage of chasing a smallish target, it wasn’t to be. Pooran tries infusing momentum, but MINY wobbleEvery match, we’ve had someone step up, play the anchor, and bat through. It looked like Nicholas Pooran would be that guy tonight, looking good with four fours in his 19-ball 20, as the rest of the top-order fell around him. But he too fell in the seventh over. It wasn’t a day for Kieron Pollard’s heroics either as the team collapse to 65/7 in the 15th over. Bosch, Luus and a late-order resurgence Corbin Bosch: 22(21)Tristan Luus: 12(14)And thanks to this 30-run stand for the eighth wicket to get the team up to 104, MINY had something to play around with. A sliver of hope. What a debut, Faisal! Debuts just don’t get any sweeter. Opening the bowling, off the first legal ball of his career, he cleaned up the dangerous Lhuan-dre Pretorius. And then followed up next over with a sharp bouncer that got big on Finn Allen, who could only miscue it as far as mid-on. With Tristan Luus and Tajinder Dhillon chipping in, at 66/4, there was slight hope of a special Blue and Gold defence, but alas, Matthew Short and Sanjay Krishnamurthi kept going and saw the Unicorns home. Chip up Fam, we’ve played some special cricket over the last three games to sustain the kind of run we did. As we head back to Texas for our final league leg with the playoffs berth beckoning, this is the time to not lose steam. We have an instant opportunity with the reverse fixture coming up in the very next game to set things right.. 06 Jul, 2026Match 7 | SFUvMINY preview: Writing our legacy as the table-toppers!
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