By Tim Douglas 
Fletcher’s Fireworks and Gattepalli’s Dream Debut Dazzle in LAKR’s Farewell Win Over Unicorns
In a display of individual brilliance and high drama, Andre Fletcher hammered his second century of the season while debutant Karthik Gattepalli stole the spotlight with a dream first outing as LA Knight Riders edged out San Francisco Unicorns by 11 runs in a thrilling contest to close out their 2025 Major League Cricket campaign.
Despite the loss, the Unicorns held onto third place in the standings, setting up an Eliminator showdown with MI New York.
Electing to bowl first in a rain-reduced 19-over game, the Unicorns quickly realized they were in for a long evening. Alex Hales found form with an early flurry of boundaries, but it was Fletcher who stole the show. His unbeaten 118 off 58 balls, peppered with 10 fours and 8 towering sixes, turned the momentum squarely in LAKR’s favor.
The fireworks didn’t stop there. Sherfane Rutherford added a blistering 49 off just 20, pushing the total to a daunting 243/3 — the highest by any team this season. The Unicorns, missing Haris Rauf through injury, struggled for control. Both Xavier Bartlett and Hassan Khan managed a wicket apiece, but their economy rates told the story.
Chasing a monumental target, the Unicorns stumbled early — and straight into Karthik Gattepalli. On his T20 debut, the 25-year-old spinner struck gold immediately, dismissing Matthew Short with his first delivery. He followed it up with the wicket of Jake Fraser-McGurk in the same over and later added a third to finish with 3 for 31, a stunning start to his professional T20 journey.
The Unicorns, however, weren’t ready to fold. Sanjay Krishnamurthi played a heroic hand, smashing 92 off just 40 balls with power and poise. He found support from Hassan Khan and Hammad Azam, who kept the chase alive with aggressive cameos.
Still, it was a game of fine margins. Jason Holder struck at a key moment to remove Azam, and Shadley van Schalkwyk closed it out in style, taking two wickets in two balls to bowl out the Unicorns for 233, just 11 short of the target with a delivery remaining.
While LA Knight Riders bow out with just two wins, they leave a lasting impression, finally showcasing the firepower they had long promised. The San Francisco Unicorns, once unbeaten in six, will now aim to reset quickly ahead of their Eliminator clash against MI New York on Wednesday, July 9th, in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Match Summary:
LA Knight Riders 243/3 in 19 overs (Fletcher 118*, Hales 58, Rutherford 49*)
San Francisco Unicorns 233 all out in 18.5 overs (Krishnamurthi 92, Azam 38, Hassan Khan 35; Gattepalli 3/31, Holder 2/28, van Schalkwyk 2/44)
Result: LA Knight Riders won by 11 runs (DLS Method)
Zainab Shafiq