The Texas Super Kings (TSK) defeated the Los Angeles Knight Riders 144 for 7 (Chand 30, Hosein 2-10, Noor 2-27) by 52 runs with 196 for 8 (Ranjane 70, Ferreira 43, Smit 38, Russell 3-37, van Schalkwyk 3-51).
Through an all-around performance that easily defeated the Los Angeles Knight Riders. The Texas Super Kings got back to winning ways and moved up to second place on the MLC 2025 points table. When the tournament reached the midway point of its league phase. It was LAKR’s fourth defeat in five games and TSK’s fourth victory in six.
Left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad. As well as lower-middle-order batsmen Shubham Ranjane and Donovan Ferreira, were TSK’s main players.
TSK vs LAKR
LAKR had gotten off to a strong start, successfully using their choice to bowl. Bringing TSK down to 33 for 3 in four overs. Shadley van Schalkwyk took all three wickets, including the crucial one of Marcus Stoinis for a golden duck.
The innings was then saved by opener Smit Patel and Ranjane. Who put on a solid 64 off 46 partnerships. Smit scooped Andre Russell to short fine-leg for 38 off 33, almost bringing the total to 100. LAKR ended up losing the wicket because Ferreira and Ranjane were unstoppable after that. After taking back-to-back fours from Ali Khan, Ferreira attacked Russell with six, four, and four.
The two then put on 82 in only 40 balls when Van Schalkwyk dropped sixes to both batsmen in his final over. Which went for 23. Ferreira was run out due to a major mix-up in the 19th over. Ranjane fell two balls later, ending the stand. Despite losing two more wickets in the final over. TSK’s final score of 196 was sufficient.
Nitish Kumar was removed by Hosein with a superb arm ball that swung in sharply to knock over middle stump. The LAKR openers had just begun to settle down. When Hosein struck twice in two balls. Quick goals from Unmukt Chand and Saif Badar put the team ahead 39 for 2 in the powerplay. But Badar was able to pull ahead thanks to a cross-seam delivery from Stoinis. Variations from the TSK bowlers, including fast bowlers and spinners, kept LAKR under control, and the asking rate had risen above 12 an over and had never decreased.
Even the hard-hitting Jamaican pair of Rovman Powell and Russell were unable to salvage the innings. After Sherfane Rutherford fought his way to 13 off 15. Before being bowled by Noor, Shortly before Russell was tricked by a sharp Noor wrong’un that turned from leg stump with plenty of drift to dislodge his off stump. LAKR needed 95 from 27 balls and never came close. Powell hit the first six of the innings in the 15th over.
