Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard’s MI New York are winless after two games in the 2025 Major League Cricket season after a three-wicket loss to leaders the San Francisco Unicorns at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday.

MI New York posted 182-7 from their 20 overs after being asked to take first strike by Unicorns skipper Corey Anderson.

Quinton de Kock led the charge with 63 from 38 balls including five fours and four sixes while Pollard provided a trademark blitz with a 16-ball 30 including four sixes.

Captain Pooran had his second failure to start the season with five.

Pakistani speedster Haris Rauf was excellent with his 2-24 from four overs while left arm seamer Carmi Le Roux and left arm spinner Hassan Khan also took two wickets.

Then, led by a maiden T20 fifty from Xavier Bartlett batting at number eight, the Unicorns got to 188-7 off 19.1 overs for their third win in a row to start the season.

The young Australian hit four fours and a career best five sixes in his 25-ball knock to see his team home.

At one stage, the Unicorns found themselves 42-4 at the end of the first powerplay before Hassan Khan changed the momentum of the innings with 43 off just 17 balls including two fours and five sixes, laying the foundation for Bartlett to finish things off.

Opener Tim Seifert also contributed 33 off 27 balls including three fours and a six.

Pacer Naveen-ul-Haq picked up 2-28 from his four overs to lead the MI New York bowling.