The opening match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 produced an absolute run-fest as Texas Super Kings pulled off a sensational six-wicket victory over Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. Chasing a daunting target of 221, the Super Kings delivered one of the finest run chases in MLC history, reaching the target with nine balls to spare. The thrilling contest featured centuries from both Tim Seifert and Faf du Plessis, with fans flooding social media after witnessing a batting masterclass from both sides.
Tim Seifert’s century helps Seattle Orcas post a mammoth total
After being asked to bat first, Seattle Orcas enjoyed a dream start courtesy of Tim Seifert and Shayan Jahangir. Seifert anchored the innings brilliantly, bringing up his half-century in just 32 deliveries before accelerating further as the innings progressed. Jahangir matched his intent from the other end, playing a fluent knock that kept the pressure firmly on the Texas bowlers.
Together, they stitched a huge opening partnership that laid the foundation for a massive score. Seifert remained unbeaten on a magnificent 104, while Jahangir contributed a sparkling 78 as Seattle piled up an imposing 220/2 from their 20 overs. With such a score on the board, the Orcas appeared overwhelming favourites heading into the second innings.
Faf du Plessis leads Texas Super Kings to a memorable victory with a brilliant ton
If Seattle’s batting display was impressive, Texas Super Kings produced an even greater response. Captain du Plessis led from the front with a sensational innings that completely changed the course of the match. The chase got off to a flying start as du Plessis and Rilee Rossouw attacked from ball one. Rossouw played a crucial supporting role, smashing 49 off just 21 deliveries before falling agonisingly short of a half-century.
Du Plessis continued his assault throughout the innings. The former South African captain reached his fifty in only 24 balls and then shifted gears again to bring up a stunning century from just 45 deliveries. With valuable support from Milind Kumar and Wiaan Mulder in the latter stages, du Plessis ensured there were no late hiccups. He finished unbeaten on 113 from just 52 balls, guiding Texas Super Kings to 224/4 in 18.3 overs and completing one of the greatest chases seen in the tournament.
The victory not only gave Texas a perfect start to their MLC 2026 campaign but also reinforced du Plessis’ reputation as one of the finest T20 batters of his generation. His match-winning knock earned him the Player of the Match award and left fans in awe across social media.
Also READ: Major League Cricket 2026: Complete squads of all six MLC teams
Here’s how fans reacted:
TSK starts their campaign with a win 🦁💛#MLC2026 #TSKvSO #TexasSuperKings pic.twitter.com/pU5lWZzUa6
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 19, 2026
And that will do it 👏 The @TexasSuperKings win the 2026 Cognizant Major League Cricket season opener, defeating the Seattle Orcas by 6 wickets 🏆 pic.twitter.com/I5A0mYQBHa
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) June 19, 2026
FAF DU PLESSIS HAMMERED 113* (52) IN THE MLC TO CHASE DOWN 221. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RbCBwM6L58
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 19, 2026
FLAWLESS HUNDRED BY FAF DU PLESSIS.💛
– 4 Hundreds in Major League Cricket.
– 1000+ Runs in Major League Cricket.Age is just numbers for Faf du Plessis, Still ruling T20 cricket at the age of 42.🙌 pic.twitter.com/SwpQrFEhQM
— Maina Singh (@Maina_Singhx77) June 19, 2026
Our yellow Pride Faf du plessis 💛🫡
41 years of age old man scored Century in just 45 balls that to chasing 221 target 😬🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/N31zlfMsjp
— TELUGU MSDIANS🦁™ (@TeluguMSDians) June 19, 2026
HUNDRED FOR FAF DU PLESSIS FROM JUST 45 BALLS.📍
– Captain Faf du Plessis smashed a sensational century off just 45 balls while chasing 221, delivering yet another unforgettable innings.#MLC #Cricket pic.twitter.com/fuwfoGyXiQ
— Rana Ahmad. (@AhmadRana056) June 19, 2026
HUNDRED FOR FAF DU PLESSIS FROM JUST 45 BALLS 🥶
– Captain Faf smashed an iconic Hundred while chasing 221 runs, What a knock, he is a Legend of Super Kings family across countries. pic.twitter.com/9V3FiriY7M
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 19, 2026
MLC (TSK v SOR)
At 41 years of age, Faf du Plessis Scored Century in 45 balls, while chasing a massive 221 target 🫡 pic.twitter.com/fkJbO8kBvb
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) June 19, 2026
41 Years old Faf Du Plessis carrying the team with ease 💛🔥 pic.twitter.com/0WqN79eqWV
— CSK Core (@CSKCore) June 19, 2026
– You can question his age, not his commitment.
– You can question his form, not his class.
– You can question his fitness, not his passion for JSK.
– The man for all seasons , Faf du Plessis. Another hundred in yellow. 💛Thank you, Faf, for choosing to play for CSK. You gave… pic.twitter.com/Ltqo7NXmPU
— Abhishek Kumar (@Abhishek060722) June 19, 2026
