The Los Angeles Knight Riders won the Major League Cricket 2026 Qualifier with a six-wicket win over the Texas Super Kings in the final league match, sealing second place in the points table with their third consecutive win.A chase created under the direction of Colin Munro and Matthew Tromp helped LAKR set a target of 172 with five balls to spare, setting up a blockbuster Qualifier against the San Francisco Unicorns table on July 15. Washington Freedom and MI New York will meet in the Eliminator on the same day.After stumbling in the middle of the campaign, the Knight Riders have found form at the right time, stringing together three consecutive victories to become genuine contenders.Texas, meanwhile, endured a disappointing end to their campaign, losing five straight to finish the season at the bottom of the standings.
Munro, Tromp anchor Clinic Chase
Chasing 172, LAKR got off to a good start despite Andre Fletcher struggling to get things going. While Fletcher managed 26 from 30 balls, Munro dominated the opening partnership with a quick 62 from 36 balls as the pair added 87 runs to set a good platform.Texas made a slow comeback by picking up three quick wickets, including Munro’s, to give hope.However, Matthew Tromp also showed his maturity with the bat, making an unbeaten 58 off just 28 balls. Sherfane Powell provided a great assist before Jason Holder combined with Tromp to finish off the chase calmly without any late drama.Tromp, who was named Most Valuable Player, appreciated the confidence instilled by coaches Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo.“I just went there and played my natural game, and it paid off,” Tromp said. “We have a very long journey. We have two big final games.
Ranjan’s fifty is not enough for Super Kings
Earlier, Shubham Ranjane fought back with an unbeaten 51 off 34 balls after Jason Holder opted to bowl first.Although Faf du PlessisRilee Rossouw and Dian Forrester both got off to fast starts, neither of which converted them into big scores as Texas lost wickets again and again at crucial times. Holder finished with impressive figures of 3 for 33, restricting the Super Kings to 171.Reflecting on the defeat, du Plessis admitted that his side are on the verge of reaching the tournament.“On this wicket, you have to be 180-plus to feel good in this game. I thought maybe 20-30 was a little bit,” said the skipper.Du Plessis also pointed to missed opportunities on the field and the team’s inability to take crucial minutes throughout the game.“We were very consistent in how we played, but in difficult moments we just lost the most important moments. There were three or four times where we took the game to the wire, and unfortunately, it just went the other way,” he said.With strong momentum on their side and key players stepping up at the right time, the Knight Riders now enter the playoffs strong and confident as they chase their maiden MLC title against the high-flying Unicorns.
