TSK eye one last push for top-two; Orcas hope to cling to fourth

All the off-field drama aside, the Shimron Hetmyer-powered late surge in the tournament, coupled with equally dismal performances by MI New York and Los Angeles Knight Riders, has ensured that Seattle Orcas stay in the fray for a berth in the playoffs despite a five-match losing streak at the start to the season. A batting collapse for Orcas on Friday night ensured that it not only ended their three-match winning spree, but also kept the league phase hooked to more drama in its last leg.

While a lot rests on the result of the contest between MINY and LAKR earlier on Saturday, the low Net Run Rate has ensured that a victory remains a must for the Sikandar Raza-led side to breathe a bit easy.

Despite their thumping win against the table toppers, San Francisco Unicorns, a few days ago, the gulf between the top-three and the bottom-three sides have been wide. Their opponents for the Saturday night contest, Texas Super Kings, are in a race of their own - to finish in the top-two. They would be pained by their one-run loss in their previous game against Unicorns and need a win to have a chance to finish in the top-two.

There is a lot at stake at both ends of the table, with the result likely to affect all the other non-playing teams. Everything is set for a scrappy fight, but it remains to be seen if both sides are able to turn up as their most competitive selves.

When: Saturday, July 5, 2025, 7:00 PM Local / 4:30 AM IST (July 6)

Where: Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida

What to expect: With rain playing its part, run scoring hasn't been easy at the venue. There will be enough in the conditions for both the batters and bowlers to fight with.

Team News:

Texas Super Kings: Despite the loss, with ample depth and bowling options at hand, TSK are unlikely to make changes.

Probable XI: Smit Patel, Faf du Plessis, Sai Teja Mukkamalla, Marcus Stoinis, Shubham Ranjane, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Mohammad Mohsin, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Nandre Burger

Seattle Orcas: There is no news on whether David Warner will be available for the all-important clash.

Probable XI: Shayan Jahangir, Steven Taylor, Aaron Jones, Sikandar Raza, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Mayers, Shimron Hetmyer, Harmeet Singh, Gerald Coetzee, Jasdeep Singh, Waqar Salamkheil