Grand Prairie, TX (June 22, 2026) โ€“ LA Knight Riders delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Seattle Orcas by 81 runs in Major League Cricket action at Grand Prairie Stadium on Sunday. After posting a formidable 196 for 8, LAKR's bowlers dismantled the Orcas for 115 in just 15.3 overs to secure a convincing victory and boost their net run rate.

A late assault from Rovman Powell proved decisive as the West Indies power-hitter smashed 37 off just 11 deliveries, including five towering sixes, to propel the Knight Riders to a challenging total. The bowling unit then backed up the batting effort in emphatic fashion, with Sunil Narine, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Carmi le Roux and Andre Russell sharing the spoils.
Shadley van Schalkwyk delivered a match-winning spell of 3 for 17, leading LA Knight Riders' dominant bowling performance in their emphatic 81-run victory over Seattle Orcas. Photo by Shaun Roy / Sportzpics for MLC

Asked to bat first, LA Knight Riders built their innings steadily before accelerating dramatically in the closing stages. Andre Fletcher led the charge at the top with a fluent 40, while Colin Munro contributed 30 to provide a solid foundation. Unmukt Chand added a brisk 19 from 12 balls, and Narine chipped in with 15, highlighted by two sixes.

Jason Holder maintained the momentum with an aggressive 23 off 14 deliveries, setting the stage for Powell's explosive cameo. The powerful right-hander transformed the innings during the death overs, clearing the ropes five times in a stunning display of clean hitting. Saif Badar added a quickfire 11 from five balls as LAKR finished strongly on 196 for 8.

Seattle's bowling effort was led by Jasdeep Singh, who claimed 3 for 29, while Ottneil Baartman also picked up three wickets for 36 runs. Dasun Shanaka endured an expensive outing, conceding 59 runs from his four overs, although he managed to collect two wickets.

In pursuit of 197, the Orcas never gained a foothold. Narine struck early, removing Tim Seifert for five, and Seattle's top order quickly unraveled. Shayan Jahangir (12), Matthew Breetzke (14), Shimron Hetmyer (11) and Marcus Stoinis (1) all departed cheaply as the Orcas stumbled to 39 for 4 inside the Powerplay.


Shanaka and Ali Sheikh attempted to rebuild the innings, but van Schalkwyk effectively ended any hopes of a recovery by dismissing both batters in the same over. Harmeet Singh offered the strongest resistance with a fighting 25 from 17 balls, while Cameron Gannon added 12, but the required rate continued to climb.

Russell then polished off the tail with three wickets in 1.3 overs as Seattle were bowled out for 115. Van Schalkwyk finished with impressive figures of 3 for 17 from three overs, while Narine's economical spell of 2 for 18 from four overs choked the scoring throughout the chase.

The comprehensive victory showcased LA Knight Riders' strength in all departments, with meaningful contributions throughout the batting lineup and a disciplined bowling display that never allowed the Orcas to settle. For Seattle, it was a disappointing outing as they suffered a heavy defeat and will look to bounce back in their next fixture.

Brief Scores: LA Knight Riders 196/8 (20 overs) โ€“ Andre Fletcher 40, Rovman Powell 37; Jasdeep Singh 3/29, Ottneil Baartman 3/36. Seattle Orcas 115 all out (15.3 overs) โ€“ Harmeet Singh 25, Matthew Breetzke 14; Shadley van Schalkwyk 3/17, Andre Russell 3/8, Sunil Narine 2/18. LA Knight Riders won by 81 runs.