MLC 2025: Du Plessis, Ferreira Shine as Texas Super Kings Storm Into Knockouts With Big Win Over MI New York

Texas Super Kings booked their place in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 knockout stage with a dominant 39-run win over MI New York, powered by standout performances from skipper Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira. Du Plessis led from the front with a scintillating century—his second of the season—while Ferreira added explosive firepower late in the innings with a blistering 53 off just 20 balls to propel TSK to 223/4. The bowling unit, spearheaded by spinner Akeal Hosein, ensured MI New York were restricted to 184/9 despite a valiant 70 from Kieron Pollard.

Du Plessis’ masterclass, which included eight sixes, took him to 11,755 runs in T20 cricket and marked his eighth T20 century, tying him with notable names like Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, and Rohit Sharma for the fourth-most centuries in the format. On the other side, Pollard’s fighting knock brought a milestone of its own as he surpassed Alex Hales to become the second-highest run-scorer in T20 history, now trailing only Chris Gayle.

TSK didn’t have the smoothest start, losing Smit Patel early for 3. But du Plessis quickly turned the tide, launching a counterattack with boundaries off Ehsan Adil and sixes off both George Linde and Trent Boult. After reaching his half-century in just 21 balls, a brief middle-order slowdown saw Saiteja Mukkamalla fall and Marcus Stoinis depart for a modest score. However, Ferreira’s arrival in the 16th over marked a turning point.

Together, du Plessis and Ferreira added 56 runs in the final three overs. Ferreira took Adil apart in the 18th over, while du Plessis completed his hundred with a pull off Boult. The final over saw du Plessis hammer two sixes before bowler Rushil Ugarkar bowled five consecutive wides—matching a T20 record—setting up Ferreira to reach his fifty with a six, equaling the fastest half-century in MLC history.

Chasing 224, MI New York’s top order crumbled under early pressure. Nandre Burger removed Nicholas Pooran upfront, and Hosein struck key blows with a wicket-maiden in the powerplay before dismissing Quinton de Kock and Tajinder Singh in successive overs. At 75/4 in the 11th over, the chase looked bleak.

Pollard’s late flourish offered hope. He smashed three sixes off Noor Ahmad in the 14th over and capitalized on a misfield to build an 88-run stand. But Burger returned to end the charge, removing Pollard in the 19th over and effectively sealing the win.