Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) snapped their three-match losing streak with a thrilling six-wicket victory over Texas Super Kings (TSK) in Match 18 of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026. Chasing 174 on a surface where batting had not been easy, LAKR rode on contrasting half-centuries from Colin Munro and Rovman Powell to complete the chase with eight balls to spare.
The victory lifted the Knight Riders from the bottom of the table to fourth place, with all six teams now level on six points and separated only by net run rate, making the playoff race even more intriguing.
Rovman Powell and Colin Munro’s match-winning partnership turns the game on its head
Asked to chase 174, LAKR endured a shaky start as Andre Fletcher departed cheaply before Matthew Tromp’s dismissal left them struggling at 63/3 in the 11th over. At that stage, the required run rate had climbed sharply, with Munro batting cautiously on 23 off 27 deliveries. The complexion of the contest changed dramatically once Powell arrived at the crease. The West Indies power-hitter launched a breathtaking counterattack, stitching together a match-winning 107-run partnership with Munro in just 41 deliveries.
After helping himself to a 22-run over against Wiaan Mulder, Powell completely dismantled Adam Milne in the death overs, smashing two sixes and three fours in a single over. His 18-ball half-century was one of the fastest of the season as he eventually blazed 73 off only 27 deliveries before being dismissed. Munro anchored the chase superbly from the other end, remaining unbeaten on 55 as LAKR reached 175/4 with eight balls remaining.
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Saiteja Mukkamalla shines with a fighting 80 for Texas Super Kings
Earlier, after being invited to bat, Texas Super Kings made an aggressive start, reaching 58/2 inside the powerplay with Saiteja Mukkamalla leading the charge. Although LAKR slowed the scoring rate through the middle overs, Mukkamalla accelerated brilliantly after bringing up his half-century. The right-hander attacked Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Jason Holder with a series of boundaries and towering sixes to keep TSK on course for a strong finish.
His outstanding innings ended on 80 from 55 deliveries in the penultimate over after he was caught at long-on off Russell. Valuable late cameos from Mulder (29 off 16) and Dian Forrester (8 off 3) lifted Texas to a competitive 173/5. Narine was the standout bowler for LAKR, returning figures of 2/22 while dismissing both Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira. However, Powell’s extraordinary hitting and Munro’s composed unbeaten fifty ultimately proved too much for the Super Kings as LAKR kept their playoff hopes alive with an emphatic comeback victory.
What a run-chase from the Knight Riders! They have lifted themselves from the bottom to the fourth position on the points table ✌💥#MLC2026 #LAKR #Cricket pic.twitter.com/bxasUVTRwW
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 4, 2026
