If you thought last weekend was full of action, Round 4 raised the bar with a full slate of quality cricket that included centuries, double-wicket maidens and new MiLC records. In addition, we also got an early glimpse of how the playoffs are shaping up ahead of next week, when the regular season games conclude.
Here’s a look at the top 5 moments that stood out in the fourth Round of Minor League Cricket 2025:
1. Unprecedented: Four Double-Wicket Maidens in a Round
A double-wicket maiden is a rare feat in any form of cricket, especially T20s. But to have four of them in a single round might be unheard of. This is exactly what happened in the fourth round of MiLC 2025.
- Aaryan Batra (Baltimore Royals): Batra delivered a match-winning spell of 4 for 14 against Atlanta Fire, helping restrict them to just 83. What made his performance exceptional wasn’t just the wickets, but the manner in which he took them – claiming a rare feat of not one but two double-wicket maidens, which he achieved in the 6th and 14th overs of Fire’s innings. His effort broke the backbone of Atlanta’s batting and set up another comfortable Royals victory..
- Stephen Wiig (New Jersey Stallions):Wiig’s brilliant spell of 13/3 including a double-wicket maiden in the 6th over, paralyzed the NYC Titans’ chase as the Stallions eventually secured victory by 30 runs.
- Soaeb Tai (Atlanta Lightning): Tai had a wonderful weekend, claiming back-to-back POTM awards. The first of those came when his vital spell of 18/4, including a double-wicket maiden dismantled Morrisville Raptors’s chase completely handing Atlanta Lightning a crucial victory by 39 runs.
2. A weekend of Centurions
After we witnessed two spectacular centuries in Round 3, Round 4 went one better with three tons, reflecting the competition’s growing intensity in a spectacular fashion:
- Shayan Jahangir (Dallas Xforia Giants): When Jahangir gets going, he goes all-the way. The Giants’ dashing opener scored his second century of the season when he took Kings XI Dallas bowlers to all parts of the ground smashing 7 sixes and 10 fours in a 66 ball 115 ultimately helping DXG beat Kings XI by 20 runs.
- Vishal Reddy (The Philadelphians): Reddy was a lone warrior in The Philadelphians’ batting line against a strong New Jersey Stallions attack. In an amazing display of power-hitting, Reddy smashed 6 maximums and 7 fours to complete his century off just 66 deliveries and remained unbeaten as wickets crumbled around him at the other end.
- Shehan Jayasuriya (Silicon Valley Strikers): After the Strikers lost two quick wickets with just 14 on the board, they needed a stable yet strong innings from Jayasuriya to help them set a good total. Jayasuriya stood up to the occasion, hitting one of the season’s best knocks as he smashed an unbeaten century off just 62 deliveries, bludgeoning 6 sixes and 10 fours in the process as Strikers set a huge target of 194/4 for San Diego Surf Riders, who were eventually not able to chase it and lost the match by 59 runs.
3. Gous Goes Big: Kings XI Triumph in Super Over (Kings XI Dallas vs Dallas Xforia Giants)
After his masterful 88(53) had powered Kings XI to match the Giants’ 193 in 20 overs, forcing the contest into a Super Over, Kings XI Dallas’ power-hitter Andries Gous wasn’t done with the business yet.
With the game’s result now dependent on the Super over, Gous was entrusted to carry his momentum with the bat and set a daunting total in just six balls. Rising to the occasion, he hammered 20 runs, blasting two towering sixes and a crisp four, to give Kings XI the upper hand. The Giants were then tasked with an imposing 24-run chase, a challenge that proved far too steep, as Kings XI Dallas sealed a thrilling 12-run victory in the Super Over.
4. One For The Record Books: Sujith Gowda Creates MiLC History (East Bay Blazers)
An MiLC veteran who has been part of the league since its inception, Gowda wrote his name in the league’s history books with a unique feat. The right-hander became the first batter to score 2000 runs and more in the league’s history.
Completing the milestone in just 66 matches across five seasons, Gowda has been an integral part of the Blazers squad. The stylish batter has hit 16 half-centuries, averaging 33.68 with an impressive career strike-rate of 131.40 so far, reflecting his batting prowess with a record that speaks for itself.
5. Perfect Run: Unstoppable Stallions Enter Playoffs Unbeaten
The New Jersey Stallions stamped their authority on the Eastern Division by becoming the first team in MiLC 2025 to qualify for the playoffs without dropping a single game. They beat The Philadelphians by 23 runs in their last game of the league stage to finish with 10 straight wins, which not only sealed their spot in the playoffs but also sent a strong statement as firm title contenders heading into the business end of the season
Who’s In? The Playoff Picture After Round 4
The conclusion of Round 4 gives us a sneak peek into the teams that have made it to the playoffs or are still in contention to make the cut by the end of the league stage. While the playoff contestants are set in the Eastern and Western divisions with games to spare, the second spot in both the Southern and Central divisions are still up for grabs as the league-stage action concludes next weekend.
Here is a look at the teams that have successfully made their way to the playoffs at the conclusion of the fourth round:
Eastern Division
- The New Jersey Stallions: (10 wins, no losses, 20 points)
- New Jersey Somerset Cavaliers: (8 wins, 2 losses, 16 points)
Western Division
- East Bay Blazers (7 wins, 3 losses, 14 points, Superior net run-rate.)
- Silicon Valley Strikers (7 wins, 3 losses, 14 points)
Southern Division
- Baltimore Royals:( 8 wins, 1 loss, 1 No result, 17 points)
Central Division
- Chicago Kingsmen ( 7 wins, 1 loss, 2 No Results, 16 Points)
Watch The Action Live
As the league stage enters its final round next weekend, all games will be streamed live on the MLC Network YouTube channel. You can also follow live scores here or follow MiLC’s social media throughout the season.
