Du Plessis, Stoinis shine in Texas Super Kings' win over MI New York
Texas Super Kings (TSK) registered a 15-run win over MI New York (MINY) despite a spirited fightback from Rashid Khan and Monank Patel during their Major League Cricket fixture at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Monday.
Chasing 177 for the win, MI New York faced early setbacks courtesy of Marcus Stoinis’ bowling onslaught. They lost three wickets in quick succession, including that of the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (1), inside the powerplay. The situation worsened when skipper Kieron Pollard (5) fell cheaply, leaving MINY at 52/5 in 11.2 overs.
At this stage, the match appeared firmly in Texas Super Kings's grasp. However, Rashid (50) walked out to the middle and injected much-needed energy into the innings. His aggressive approach stabilised the innings and brought out the best in Monank (61). The pair found boundaries at regular intervals, turning the tide on Texas Super Kings.
The duo held on to a 97-run stand for the 6th wicket, giving MI New York a glimmer of hope. However, Dwayne Bravo's experience came to the fore. In the crucial penultimate over, he conceded just 8 runs, which effectively sealed the game for the Texas Super Kings. Despite the late scare, Texas Super Kings managed to hold their nerve and secure a 15-run win.
Earlier, Faf du Plessis took full advantage of the powerplay, smashing the MI New York bowlers across the field. His aggressive approach paid off with a quickfire fifty, setting a strong foundation for the Super Kings as they ended up scoring 176/6.
The breakthrough for MI New York came in the 9th over when left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige was introduced into the attack. Despite being expensive, Kenjige managed to dismiss du Plessis, who was caught at long-on by Tim David while attempting another big hit, having scored 61 in 38 balls.
New Zealand’s Devon Conway provided valuable support with a handy knock before Faf’s dismissal, but he fell short of his fifty, getting dismissed for 40 by Ehsan Adil in the 14th over. The Super Kings then faced a mini-collapse, losing key wickets. Then, Marcus Stoinis stepped up towards the end with some lusty blows, propelling the Super Kings past the 175-run mark.
In the bowling department, MI New York had their moments. Rashid was the standout performer, maintaining an economical spell with figures on 1/17. Trent Boult also claimed a couple of wickets but was quite expensive on the day.
Brief Scores: Texas Super Kings 176/6 (Faf du Plessis 61, Devon Conway 40, Rashid Khan 1/17) beat MI New York 161/7 (Monank Patel 61, Rashid Khan 50, Marcus Stoinis 4/50) by 15 runs