Pretorius hits maiden T20 century as Unicorns thump MI New York to stay top
Lhuan-dre Pretorius brought up his first T20 hundred in style, an unbeaten 102 that swept San Francisco Unicorns to a nine-wicket win over MI New York and kept them top of Major League Cricket.
Jul 9, 2026
Lhuan-dre Pretorius announced himself on the Major League Cricket stage on Wednesday night in Dallas, carving out his maiden T20 century to gun down MI New York and keep San Francisco Unicorns on top of the table. His unbeaten 102 turned a modest chase into a stroll, and the 20-year-old finished it in fitting fashion, flicking a four to reach three figures and win the match with the same stroke.
A chase wrapped up with 26 balls to spare
Set 144 to win at Grand Prairie Stadium, San Francisco never looked troubled. Pretorius did most of the damage himself, racing to 102 not out off just 52 balls with ten fours and five sixes, while Matthew Short kept him company on 19 not out at the other end. The Unicorns cruised to 146 for 1 in 15.4 overs, a nine-wicket win with more than four overs to spare.
MI New York had earlier been held to 143 for 9, a total that always looked light on a good surface. Ryan Rickelton top-scored with a brisk 35 from 21 balls and Sunny Patel chipped in with 32, but the innings never built the momentum a defendable score needs, and San Francisco’s bowlers kept squeezing through the middle overs.
Pretorius the season’s leading run-getter
The hundred was no flash in the pan. Pretorius is now the leading run-scorer of MLC 2026, and for a batter who only turned 20 in March, the composure to pace a run chase and stay unbeaten to the end says plenty about where his game is heading. South Africa have produced a steady stream of young top-order talent in recent years, and on this evidence he belongs in that conversation.
For the Unicorns, the result moves them to five wins from eight games and keeps them top of the pile as the playoff race sharpens. The MLC table has been congested for most of the tournament, so every win now swings the seedings, and San Francisco look in no mood to hand back top spot. A hundred from their young top-order batter is exactly the kind of form a side wants heading into the knockouts.