Day 3 of the 2025 Minor League Cricket playoffs delivered clarity in one conference as Chicago Kingsmen became the first team to qualify for the Championship Final, topping the Pacific Conference with three wins out of three as they continue their push for back-to-back titles. Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Conference, all four teams remain in the hunt, keeping the race wide open heading into the final group stage games.
Here is a short recap of what happened on the third day of the playoffs across both conferences:
Atlantic Conference
Royals End Stallions’ Streak
Baltimore Royals stunned the Atlantic Conference by breaking the winning streak of the formidable New Jersey Stallions in a dominant bowling display. The Royals weaved a spin-web to bundle the Stallions’ strong batting line up for just 89 in 18 overs. Veteran spinners Sarbjeet Ladda and Mohammad Mohsin dismantled the Stallions’ middle order with identical spells of 16/3 each, while Rishi Dhawan chipped in with a three-for as well.
Chasing an easy target, Sharad Lumba (55 off 41) anchored the Royals’ reply, ensuring a comfortable seven-wicket victory that blew the Atlantic race wide open.
Player of the Match: Sharad Lumba
Clinical Patel Powers Fire to Big Win
Atlanta Fire stamped their authority in the Atlantic conference today thrashing NJ Somerset Cavaliers comprehensively at Church Street Park.
After Rishi Pandey’s half-century (58 off 48) at the top and a quick cameo by Jahmar Hamilton (22 off 10) in the lower order helped the Fire post a decent 153/8 off their allotted 20 overs, Sunny Patel once again showcased his reliability on the big stage, returning 16/3, including two wickets in two balls in his final over. He was well supported by Ansh Patel (20/3) as the Cavaliers folded for just 77 falling short by a huge margin of 76 runs.
It was a statement win for Atlanta Fire, affirming their status as a Title contender this season.
Player of the Match: Sunny Patel
Pacific Conference
Gowda Guides Blazers Past Strikers
At Grand Prairie, East Bay Blazers leaned once again on their batting talisman Sujith Gowda (47 off 32), whose fluent knock set the tone in a competitive total of 165/6 that proved too steep for Silicon Valley Strikers. With the ball, Faisal Khan Ahmadzai (23/2) delivered an impressive spell, including consecutive wickets in his second over to damage the Strikers’ chase.
While Amogh Arepally scored an unbeaten 45 off 36 , he lacked support from the other Silicon Valley Strikers batters as they could only manage 142/7 to fall 23 runs short of the target. For East Bay, it was a morale-boosting win, though their playoff journey ended with this match.
Player of the Match: Sujith Gowda
Kingsmen Extend Perfect Run, Qualify for Final
The day’s final game was a run-fest at the Grand Prairie Stadium as defending champions Chicago Kingsmen emerged triumphant underlining their pedigree once again.
Batting first, Kings XI Dallas put up a formidable total of 180/6 on board, built on a tremendous start from the classy Unmukt Chand (77 off 52), accompanied by the dangerous Andries Gous who contributed with yet another half-century scoring 62 off 42 deliveries.
In response, Chicago were steadied by a 106-run third-wicket stand between Syed Saad Ali and Tajinder Singh. Saad Ali remained unbeaten on 75 off 44, finishing the chase in style with two back-to-back sixes, while Tajinder Singh found his form again just when it mattered the most, scoring a vital 52 off 33.
As the Kingsmen completed a five-wicket win, it not only kept their playoff record perfect (3-0) but also ensured they topped the Pacific Conference and became the first team to qualify for the 2025 Championship Final– their second straight appearance after lifting the trophy in 2024.
Player of the Match: Syed Saad Ali
Takeaways from Day 3
- Kingsmen Reach the Final: Chicago topped the Pacific Conference with three wins and booked their place in the 2025 Championship Final.
- Atlantic Race Alive: Baltimore’s stunning win over the Stallions and Atlanta’s dominant display mean all four Atlantic sides are still in contention heading into the final two days of the playoffs.
- Stallions Stumble: Arguably the best team of the tournament in the league stage, Stallions arrived to the playoffs unbeaten. However, their unbeaten streak is broken at a crucial juncture, exposing vulnerabilities which can make or break their chances of reaching the Final.
- Leg-spinners Shine with Identical Returns: In an interesting coincidence, Sarbjeet Ladda, Mohammad Mohsin, and Sunny Patel all returned identical figures of 16/3 in four overs, a quirky stat that underscored the impact of spin at the Church Street Park.
Atlantic Conference: Road to the Final
With the Pacific Conference concluded, the final four Atlantic Conference games over the next two days will determine the second finalist, who will face the Chicago Kingsmen for the Title this Sunday at Church Street Park in Morrisville, NC.
The remaining Atlantic Conference playoff matches are scheduled as follows:
(All match times are listed in Eastern Time)*
Friday, October 3 – Day 4:
- 2:00 PM – New Jersey Stallions vs NJ Somerset Cavaliers
- 6:00 PM – Atlanta Fire vs Baltimore Royals
Saturday, October 4 – Last Day of Playoffs:
- 2:00 PM – Baltimore Royals vs NJ Somerset Cavaliers
- 6:00 PM – Atlanta Fire vs New Jersey Stallions
*The schedule is subject to change. Please click HERE for the latest updates.
Fans can watch these matches live on the MLC Network YouTube Channel or click HERE to follow live scores.
