San Francisco Unicorns pacer Haris Rauf grabbed attention for his fiery send-off to MI New York captain Nicholas Pooran during a Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 match. The Pakistan fast bowler pointed toward the dugout after dismissing Pooran with a brilliant delivery in the first innings.
San Francisco Unicorns chose to bowl first at the Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona on Monday, July 6 (IST). The Matt Short-led team bowled out MI New York for just 104 runs in 20 overs. Rauf starred with an economical spell, conceding just 13 runs, including a maiden, while taking one wicket in four overs.
What exactly happened between Haris Rauf and Nicholas Pooran, and what did the send-off look like?
Nicholas Pooran walked in after MI New York lost Quinton de Kock for a duck in the opening over. The captain scored 20 off 19 balls, including four boundaries, before falling to Haris Rauf. His wicket was a major blow as he had been MI New York's most reliable batter this season.
Haris Rauf produced a sharp back-of-a-length delivery outside off stump that jagged back into Pooran. The MI New York skipper looked unsure whether to play or leave the ball and made his decision too late.
The ball took a faint under-edge before crashing into the off stump. Rauf celebrated with a loud roar and pointed toward the dugout, giving Pooran a fiery send-off after the crucial breakthrough.
Watch: Haris Rauf gives fiery send-off to Nicholas Pooran after stunning dismissal in MLC 2026
Rauf couldn't have placed it any better 🎯 pic.twitter.com/hmbh6ZagBv
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 6, 2026
San Francisco Unicorns Strike Early to Take Control
MI New York made a poor start after being asked to bat first on a tricky surface. The pitch offered uneven bounce and seam movement, making batting difficult. Xavier Bartlett struck in the opening over by dismissing Quinton de Kock for a golden duck.
The wickets continued to fall as MI New York failed to build partnerships. Monank Patel scored 11 before getting out, while Tajinder Dhillon managed seven. Shakib Al Hasan added just one run as San Francisco Unicorns kept the pressure on throughout the powerplay.
After Haris Rauf dismissed Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard could not repeat his previous match-winning performance and was caught in the deep for just two. MI New York slipped to 46/6 inside the first nine overs.
MI New York Bowled Out for 104 in First Innings
Corbin Bosch and Corey Anderson briefly resisted with a 19-run stand before Anderson was stumped for 14. Bosch then added 30 runs with Tristan Luus for the eighth wicket but was trapped lbw for 21 as MI New York were eventually bowled out for 104.
Matt Short starred with the ball, returning outstanding figures of 4/17. Brody Couch claimed 3/32, while Haris Rauf impressed with an economical spell of 1/13, including a maiden over. Xavier Bartlett also picked up a wicket as San Francisco Unicorns put themselves in a strong position to chase down the target.
"Look we just stuck to our process. Hit the wicket and stuck to our plans. Kept it simple. Early wickets are key, it puts pressure on the batters. We took early wickets and that helped us maintain the pressure. The pitch today has a lot of variable bounce. We will use the learnings from the previous game and use it here to get over the line," Brody Couch said during the innings break.
Also read: Watch: Dasun Shanaka scripts MLC history with four wickets in four balls
