The Major League Cricket 2023 Final has finally arrived and two teams, Seattle Orcas and MI New York, have qualified for the final showdown.
The Orcas finished the league stage at the top of the table, having won four out of their five league matches. The only match they lost was to the Los Angeles Knight Riders and that game also went right down to the final.
The Orcas also qualified for the final directly as they defeated the Texas Super Kings by nine wickets in the first qualifier. Now they are just one step away from winning the trophy and here, we shall take a look at the architects of their road to the final.
Seattle Orcas star players
Heinrich Klaasen: The South African batter was seen in rich vein of form in IPL 2023 and he carried that form forward to the MLC. Klaasen is the highest run-scorer for Seattle Orcas at the moment, with 231 runs to his name. He averaged a massive 77 and recorded a breathtaking strike rate of 206.25. Klaasen also scored a brilliant century to take the Orcas to a brilliant victory over MI New York in their league stage clash and he will be looking to deliver once again in a high-stakes final.
Quinton de Kock: The wicketkeeper-batter delivered consistently at the top of the order for the Orcas throughout the league stage and the qualifiers. De Kock amassed a total of 177 runs, including two fifties. He saved his best for the Qualifiers as he smashed an unbeaten 88 off just 50 deliveries to take the Orcas to a superb win over the Texas Super Kings.
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Nauman Anwar: He is another player who scored runs consistently for Seattle Orcas. Anwar batted in the top three and is their second highest run-scorer currently, with 182 runs to his name at an average of 30.33. Anwar's best knock came in their league stage match against MI New York as he smashed 51 off just 30 deliveries to set up their win.
Cameron Gannon: The pacer worked like a charm as a new ball weapon for Seattle Orcas throughout this MLC season. Gannon has 11 wickets to his name currently, at an average of 14.09 and strike-rate of 11.9. He is the joint-highest wicket-taker for the Orcas at the moment and will be eager to deliver another match-winning performance in the final.
It's been quite a journey so far, but the job isn't finished yet✨
— Seattle Orcas (@MLCSeattleOrcas) July 29, 2023
Let's Go #SeattleOrcas#MLC2023 #MajorLeagueCricket pic.twitter.com/uahHGki6Ji
Andrew Tye: The experienced pacer has been a vital weapon for Seattle Orcas this season. Tye has bowled majorly in the middle and death overs, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 18.45. Batters have found it very difficult to deal with his bowling as Tye has different variations and accurate yorkers in his arsenal.
Imad Wasim: The experienced Pakistani spinner has played a pivotal role in drying runs up in the middle overs for the Orcas. Wasim has recorded an economy rate of 6.27 in this tournament, which is the best among all the Orcas' bowlers. On top of that, Wasim has also claimed nine wickets and has delivered with the bat in the lower order whenever required.
Harmeet Singh: The Indian quick has been an economical operator in all phases of the innings for his team. Harmeet has picked up seven wickets in the ongoing season, and he has done that while maintaining a mean economy rate of 6.35.
As Seattle Orcas take on MI New York in the final of this Major League Cricket season, these players will be looking to deliver once again to help their team in claiming the ultimate glory.
