Hetmyer's Last-Ball Six Stuns Pollard, Orcas Complete Record-Breaking MLC Chase Against MI New York

The Seattle Orcas pulled off a stunning victory against MI New York in a Major League Cricket (MLC) match, courtesy of a herculean effort from Shimron Hetmyer, who smashed a last-ball six to secure a record-breaking chase.

Hetmyer's match-winning six seals a historic chase for the Seattle Orcas.

The Orcas chased down a massive 238, the highest successful run chase in MLC history, winning by three wickets. Hetmyer's incredible innings saw him smash Kieron Pollard for a six when five runs were needed off the final ball.

Earlier, MI New York had set a formidable target, posting 237/4. Nicholas Pooran led the charge with an unbeaten 108 off just 60 balls, featuring 7 fours and 8 sixes. Tajinder Dhillon provided valuable support, hammering 95 off a mere 35 deliveries.

Despite the onslaught from MI New York's batsmen, the Orcas bowlers managed to claw back some control. Gerald Coetzee and Kyle Mayers each took two wickets, slowing down the scoring rate.

Seattle's chase began shakily, 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, injecting momentum into the innings. Heinrich Klaasen added a quickfire 26 off 13 before being dismissed by Rushil Ugarkar.

Then came Hetmyer's explosive innings. With the required run rate escalating and wickets falling, he shifted gears, smashing an unbeaten 97 off just 40 balls. His innings included 5 fours and 9 sixes, resulting in a remarkable strike rate of 242.50.

The tension reached its peak on the final delivery. Facing MI New York captain Kieron Pollard, Hetmyer executed a brilliant flick over fine leg for a six, triggering wild celebrations among the Seattle Orcas team and fans. This shot could be the most valuable six of his T20 career.

"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. He added, "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."