AI Simulation, SFU vs WSF | Finn Allen and Haris Rauf star as San Francisco Unicorns continue winning streak

Pitch & Weather

It was a warm Texas afternoon with temperatures around 33°C. The pitch was hard with a slight layer of grass and played true with good bounce for pacers and value for aggressive strokeplay as the Grand Prairie Stadium was witness to yet another high-scoring duel.

Toss & Conditions

Washington Freedom won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Lineups

San Francisco Unicorns: Matthew Short (c), Finn Allen, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Romario Shepherd, Xavier Bartlett, Jahmar Hamilton (wk), Haris Rauf, Carmi le Roux, Brody Couch

Washington Freedom: Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (c), Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Mark Adair, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar

Match Report

San Francisco Unicorns outclassed Washington Freedom in a high-scoring thriller in Major League Cricket 2025 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, winning by 17 runs on Sunday. Finn Allen’s whirlwind 79 and a composed bowling effort helmed by Haris Rauf’s 3/27 sealed two crucial points.

Put in to bat, the Unicorns blazed away from ball one as Finn Allen launched a barrage of boundaries, combining clean timing with fearless intent. His 79 off just 33 deliveries, featuring seven towering sixes and six fours, helped San Francisco rack up 72 in the powerplay. SFU captain Matthew Short also supported with a fluent 45, and a late cameo from Bartlett (21* off 10) pushed the score to a formidable 212/6 in 20 overs. Ian Holland was the pick among the WSF bowlers with a spell of 2/25 while Jack Edwards also picked up two wickets.

Washington Freedom began with intent, as Owen (42 off 21) and Ravindra (30 off 14) matched Unicorns' aggression, scoring 56 in the first 4.3 overs. Maxwell played a captain’s knock, smashing four sixes and three fours in his 22-ball 44, but the lack of support from the lower middle-order proved costly. Haris Rauf’s pace proved decisive as his dismissal of Maxwell in the 18th over sealed the fate of the match. With 30 needed off 12, Bartlett and Shepherd nailed their yorkers, denying Washington late momentum. Rauf ended with impressive figures of 3/27 while Bartlett and Shepherd picked up two wickets each.

Player of the Match

Finn Allen was adjudged the Player of the Match for his whirlwind knock of 79 off 33 balls that set the tone for SFU’s huge total.

Scorecard