Major League Cricket debuts with historic match at Oakland Coliseum

By Vishnu Kaimal

Cricket has made a big impression in Oakland. Cricket’s debut at the historic Oakland Coliseum could not have had a more explosive start, as Finn Allen launched the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season in style by smashing the fastest century in the tournament’s history, according to a media release.

The statement noted that Allen went on to register the fastest century in MLC history off just 34 balls and continued his assault, reaching 151 in just 50 deliveries. Along the way, he broke Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of 18 sixes in a T20 innings.

READ: Dominant Washington Freedom lift Major League Cricket title (July 29th, 2024) 

His time on the pitch included a record-breaking 19 sixes—the most ever hit in a single T20 innings. Allen’s run led the San Francisco Unicorns to a 123-run win over defending champions Washington Freedom.

Allen was named Player of the Match for his record-breaking performance.

The 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season is taking place from June 12 to July 13 across three U.S. venues: Grand Prairie Stadium (Texas), Broward County Stadium (Florida), and Oakland Coliseum (California). Six teams—Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom—are competing in a 34-match double round-robin format followed by playoffs. Captains include stars like Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Nicholas Pooran. The season opened with a record-breaking innings by Finn Allen, who smashed 151 runs with 19 sixes for the San Francisco Unicorns. Broadcast coverage is available worldwide, including on Star Sports, Willow TV, and ESPN. The final is scheduled for July 28 in Texas. Looking ahead, MLC plans to expand to 10 teams by 2027, with potential franchises in Canada and major U.S. cities. The league aims to establish cricket as a major sport in North America.