The spin wizard from Afghanistan, Noor Ahmad, cast a mesmerising spell at the Oakland Coliseum, finishing with sensational figures of 4 for 22 to lead Texas Super Kings (TSK) to a thumping 57-run win over Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in Match 5 of Major League Cricket 2025. Put into bat first, TSK’s top order delivered handy cameos — Devon Conway (34), Saiteja Mukkamalla (31), Daryl Mitchell (36), and Donovan Ferreira (33) to lift them to a competitive total. While 200+ scores are common at this venue, TSK settled for a more modest total, trusting their bowling unit to deliver, and they did. Adam Milne struck early with a fiery burst of 2 for 8, but it was Noor who truly turned the game on its head. Mixing flight, guile, and unrelenting accuracy, the 19-year-old dismantled LAKR’s middle and lower order. His victims included big names like Russell and Narine, with Daryl Mitchell lending support in the field with sharp catches and a wicket.
LAKR’s chase never took off despite quickfire starts from Alex Hales (25) and Shadley van Schalkwyk (27). TSK’s discipline proved too strong, leaving LAKR still winless in the campaign.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?Noor Ahmad’s brilliance in Major League Cricket is no surprise to those who followed his stellar IPL 2025 campaign. Turning out for Chennai Super Kings, the Afghan wrist-spinner finished as the franchise’s highest wicket-taker, claiming 24 wickets in the season. With back-to-back victories, TSK remain unbeaten, and Noor Ahmad deservedly walks away as the Stake Player of the Match.
