MLC 2023 Qualifier: The Texas Super Kings (TSK) were defeated by the Seattle Orcas by nine wickets, setting up a match against the MI New York in Qualifier 2 of the Major League Cricket (MLC) Playoffs.
The side led by Faf du Plessis was far from its best, scoring only 126-9 in the first innings after electing to bat first. On the strength of Quinton de Kock’s undefeated half-century, the Orcas easily chased down the total with five overs to spare.
TSK struggled to get going with the bat, with Daniel Sams finishing with the most runs (26). Over the duration of the innings, only two other batters managed to score 20 runs. Andrew Tye was the bowler to beat, finishing with statistics of 3-32. Imad Wasim, a left-arm spinner, also contributed with a 2-23 spell.
“It’s a bad day at the office” – Faf du Plessis addressed TSK’s tame loss in Qualifier 1
TSK were outplayed across all three departments in the Qualifier 1 clash against league leaders Seattle Orcas. The Wayne Parnell-led side became the first finalist of the inaugural MLC tournament, while TSK have to battle it out against old foes for a spot in the final.
Admitting that he made the wrong decision at the toss, Faf du Plessis said during the post-match presentation:
“It’s a bad day at the office. We thought the pitch was going to be real slow. But it’s night time so I think we made a mistake at the toss. Hindsight is always 20/20.”
He continued:
“Came on to the bat better later and they played really well. Big wake-up call for tomorrow and we’ll have to be better in all areas. The beautiful thing about tomorrow is that it’s a new day. As bad as today was, tomorrow is a new opportunity.”
Fans criticized TSK’s attitude, intent, and decision to bat first after winning the toss, while MI New York fans are looking forward to a showdown with their rivals. Here are some of the Twitter reactions:
MLC 2023 Qualifier: Can TSK still qualify for the finals?
Faf du Plessis and company will face the MI New York on Friday, July 28 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas, as part of the MLC 2024, for a chance to battle for the trophy against the Seattle Orcas. During the league stage match between the two teams, the Men in Yellow came out on top.
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