2 days ago
Allen breaks Gayle's record in stunning 151 in MLC opener
New Zealand's Finn Allen smashed a stunning 151 off 51 balls and broke Chris Gayle's sixes record as San Francisco Unicorns thrashed defending champions Washington Freedom by 123 runs in the opening game of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC). Allen smashed 19 sixes - beating Gayle's record of 18 in a T20 innings - as Unicorns posted an MLC record 269-5 in the first game played at Oakland Coliseum in California. His 151 is the highest score in MLC history and the joint-14th highest in all century came up off 34 balls, making it the fastest in the MLC and second-fastest in all T20 franchise leagues behind Gayle's 30-ball effort for Pune Warriors in the IPL in 2013. However, Allen beat the record for the fastest 150, reaching the landmark in 49 balls, bettering Dewald Brevis' 52 balls in his 162 for South Africa's domestic T20 league in who are coached by Australia great Ricky Ponting, raced to 50-0 off 3.2 overs and 79-0 after five overs, but openers Rachin Ravindra (42 off 17) and Mitchell Owen (39 off 20) were dismissed in successive openers. That sparked a dramatic collapse with Freedom losing their final eight wickets for 49 runs with Glenn Maxwell out for five and Glenn Phillips for nought as batters four to nine were all dismissed for single figures. They were bowled out for 146 in 13.1 overs with Pakistan's Haris Rauf the pick of the Unicorns bowlers claiming 3-30. Unicorns are back in action against Los Angeles Knight Riders at 22:00 BST on Saturday, while Freedom follow against Seattle Orcas from 02:00 on Sunday.
