Hetmyer's Last-Gasp Six Seals Record-Breaking MLC Chase for Seattle Orcas

Shimron Hetmyer delivered a stunning performance, propelling the Seattle Orcas to a thrilling victory in the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season. His heroic six on the final ball secured a three-wicket win against MI New York, completing the highest successful run chase in MLC history.

Image credit: MLC

The Orcas chased down a colossal target of 238, with Hetmyer remaining calm under pressure to launch Kieron Pollard's final delivery over the boundary.

Earlier in the match, MI New York had set a formidable 237/4, fueled by a blistering century from captain Nicholas Pooran. Pooran smashed an unbeaten 108 off just 60 balls, including 7 fours and 8 sixes. He was well-supported by Tajinder Dhillon, who contributed a rapid 95 off 35 deliveries.

Despite the onslaught, the Orcas managed to regain some control thanks to Gerald Coetzee and Kyle Mayers, who each claimed two wickets.

Seattle's chase began poorly, with Josh Brown and Shayan Jahangir falling early. However, Kyle Mayers (37 off 20) and captain Sikandar Raza (30 off 9) launched a counter-attack to revive the innings. Heinrich Klaasen added a quickfire 26 off 13 balls before being dismissed by Rushil Ugarkar.

This set the stage for Hetmyer's remarkable innings.

As the required run rate increased and wickets fell, Hetmyer shifted gears. He finished with an unbeaten 97 off just 40 deliveries, hitting 5 fours and 9 sixes, achieving an incredible strike rate of 242.50.

With five runs needed off the final ball, Hetmyer delivered. Facing MI New York's captain Kieron Pollard, he expertly flicked the ball over fine leg for a match-winning six, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Seattle Orcas.

"This one is one of the best, because our backs were against the wall and I'm still grimacing over the last game where we couldn't cross the line," said Hetmyer, who was named Player of the Match. "Today is one of those days, where I went with a clear mind and wanted to take the game as deep as possible. That (injury) actually gave me a little bit of help, because I didn't want to run much," he added.