Seattle Orcas Clinch Last-Over Thriller as Hetmyer, Jones Dazzle Against LA Knight Riders

Seattle Orcas pulled off a sensational five-wicket win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders in a high-scoring contest at Grand Prairie, thanks to another explosive finish by Shimron Hetmyer and a steady foundation laid by Aaron Jones and Shayan Jahangir. The victory marks Orcas’ second in as many games, keeping their playoff hopes alive in the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) season.

Chasing a challenging target of 203, Seattle faced early pressure after losing opener Josh Brown on the second ball. But the innings quickly stabilized with a 119-run second-wicket stand between Jahangir and Jones. Jahangir’s composed 43 provided the early platform, while Jones anchored the chase with an impressive 73-run knock that included clean stroke play and intelligent strike rotation.

With the platform set, the Orcas made a bold tactical move, sending Shimron Hetmyer in ahead of Kyle Mayers. The decision proved crucial. Hetmyer, fresh off a last-ball heroics performance the previous night, took center stage again. Blasting six sixes and four boundaries, the left-hander raced to a 64* off just 18 balls, dominating the Knight Riders’ bowlers at the death.

Tanveer Sangha briefly threatened to turn the tide with a superb third over that included two wickets and conceded just two runs. But Hetmyer neutralized the threat with two massive sixes in Sangha’s final over, reasserting control for the Orcas. Seattle ultimately sealed the win with one ball to spare, finishing at 206/5.

Earlier in the evening, LA Knight Riders recovered from early blows to post a competitive 202/4. The Knight Riders stumbled to 48/3 by the eighth over after early strikes from Waqar Salamkheil and Harmeet Singh. However, Andre Russell reignited the innings with a brutal 65* off 39 balls, smacking 10 boundaries. He was well supported by Saif Badar, who hammered 41 off just 21 balls, and Rovman Powell, who added 43 off 21 in a late flourish. Together, the trio added 150 runs between them to lift the team to a formidable total.

Despite LA’s power-packed recovery, Hetmyer’s fireworks proved to be the difference once again. The win lifts Seattle Orcas to 4 points, intensifying the playoff battle among the lower-ranked teams.

Both sides now head to Florida for the next phase of the league. Seattle Orcas will face the San Francisco Unicorns on Tuesday, while the LA Knight Riders aim to regroup against MI New York.

Match Summary:

• Los Angeles Knight Riders: 202/4 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 65*, Rovman Powell 43*, Saif Badar 41; Waqar Salamkheil 2/29)
• Seattle Orcas: 206/5 in 19.5 overs (Aaron Jones 73, Shimron Hetmyer 64*, Shayan Jahangir 43; Jason Holder 2/36, Tanveer Sangha 2/39)
• Result: Seattle Orcas won by 5 wickets with 1 ball remaining.