San Francisco Unicorns scored 200/6 in 20 overs, where as Texas Super Kings scored 190/4 in 20 overs.
So, finally San Francisco Unicorns beat Texas Super Kings by 10 runs.
Pat Cummins held his nerve in the final over to seal the win for the San Francisco Unicorns against the Texas Super Kings, setting up a clash with Washington Freedom on July 28 in the MLC Championship match.
Finn Allen’s 101 was the highlight, with valuable contributions from the ever-impressive Hassan Khan (27 off 15 and 1-25) and Juanoy Drysdale (2-33) securing a 10-run victory.
Put in to bat, Finn Allen immediately found his rhythm with two boundaries in the first over.
He continued to dominate, hitting three boundaries in the second over off Marcus Stoinis, including a dropped chance by Noor Ahmad at point.
Allen found the boundary in every over of the Powerplay until Jake Fraser-McGurk pulled Ottneil Baartman for six in the sixth over.
The Unicorns raced to 66 for no loss in the Powerplay.
Allen brought up his fifty with a four edged off Aaron Hardie.
The 79-run opening partnership was broken by Noor (3 for 27) when McGurk toe-ended a delivery to Hardie at long-off.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi was dismissed two balls later, chopping one onto the stumps off Noor.
TSK then managed a couple of quiet overs before Allen took charge again.
Zia-ul-Haq bowled two high full tosses, which Allen dispatched for sixes in an expensive 16-run 11th over.
Stoinis faced a similar fate as earlier, with Allen paddle sweeping and cutting him for fours in another 16-run over.
Mohammad Mohsin was hit for two sixes by Josh Inglis, with Allen bringing up his hundred in the process.
Allen was then dismissed next ball, bowled by Mohsin.
Noor continued his impressive spell by dismissing Rutherford.
Inglis and Hassan Khan put up a threatening 34-run partnership before the former holed out to long-off.
With 220 on the cards at one stage, TSK did well to pull things back, restricting the Unicorns to 200 for 6.
In reply, TSK attacked the bowlers from the start.
Faf du Plessis drove Carmi le Roux through mid-wicket while Devon Conway flicked Pat Cummins for six, showing their early intent.
Du Plessis then intensified his assault on le Roux with three boundaries in the third over.
The South African had a bit of luck, being dropped twice in two balls.
The first chance slipped through Allen’s hands on the boundary for four, while Juanoy Drysdale dropped a sitter off a scoop.
A six and four followed in a 19-run over.
Le Roux finally dismissed du Plessis with Corey Anderson taking a stunning catch.
Hardie continued the momentum with two more boundaries in a 15-run over.
By the end of the Powerplay, TSK had raced to 77 for 1.
Drysdale broke a threatening partnership by removing Hardie, who sliced a back-of-a-length ball to cover.
Milind Kumar tried to play Hassan inside-out through extra cover but only found long-off.
Stoinis pulled a short ball straight to Hassan off Drysdale, leaving TSK reeling at 91 for 4 after 10 overs with the Unicorns pulling things back.
There were no boundaries for 33 balls until Conway pulled Drysdale for a six in the 12th over.
Haris Rauf dropped Joshua Tromp off his own bowling, spilling it after getting both hands to the ball.
Tromp made him pay with a six over long-off, taking 10 off the over.
With 64 required off the last 5 overs, Tromp laced a four and a six over covers in the 16th over.
Conway took on Rauf in the 17th, hitting a couple of boundaries to bring up his fifty.
Tromp brought up his fifty in the 19th over, taking charge against Rauf.
With 18 needed off the last over, Cummins varied his pace and length to keep the batters guessing, conceding only seven runs and leading the Unicorns to the final of MLC 2024.
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