Finn Allen lights up MLC 2025 opener with record ton

Finn Allen lit up the opening night of MLC 2025 with a record-breaking ton as San Francisco Unicorns began their campaign with a massive win. In what was a repeat of last year's final, SFU managed to avenge the title loss by swatting Freedom aside by 123 runs following Allen's blistering 51-ball 151.

During the course of his whirlwind knock, Allen broke the record for the fastest 150 in T20 cricket and also cleared the ropes 19 times - breaking Chris Gayle's tally of 18 - for most sixes in a T20 innings. The blitz began early in the opening over of the tournament when he played a cheeky lap for his first six.

Tim Seifert then chipped in with a cameo before getting dismissed early and Jake Fraser-McGurk had another poor outing in the middle. But on either side, it was raining sixes as the New Zealand opener put on a show. Sanjay Krishnamurthi briefly entertained when he hit Rachin Ravindra for four sixes in an over, a feat the bowler himself would go on to replicate with the bat during the chase.

Allen then hit a hat-trick of sixes against Michell Owen and repeated it against his countryman Glenn Phillips to race to 86 off just 28. The century came off 34 deliveries - a record in MLC - breaking Nicholas Pooran's 40-ball ton. At this point, seven overs were still remaining in the innings, opening up the possibilities for more records to tumble. And so it did, as Allen continued to send the ball over the ropes. When he hit his record-equalling 18th six, SFU managed to go past the highest total in MLC history. The 150 was raised off just 49 balls when he hit his record-breaking six.

One more record of Gayle - the highest individual score in T20 cricket - was in danger with three overs still remaining in the innings. However, a rare mis-hit saw him find the fielder at long-on as the breathtaking innings came to an end. Hassan Khan then gave his side a good finish with an unbeaten 38 which meant Freedom had to score 270 for a win.

They certainly looked prepared for a fight when Owen and Ravindra put on a show in the opening five overs in which they wiped out 79 runs. Both batters bludgeoned the bowling attack to all parts to keep SFU on their toes. However, an excellent catch from Fraser-McGurk, followed by a needless confusion in the following over saw the set batters depart and from thereon, the chase just fizzled out.

80/0 soon became 117/8 as Freedom gave up despite that stunning start. Haris Rauf trapped Glenn Maxwell leg-before-wicket before castling Phillips in the same over, did the trick for the bowling side. Hassan Khan then got into the act, followed by Carmie le Roux as Freedom kept losing two wickets every over at one point. Their misery was finally brought to an end by Rauf, who managed to pick up his third wicket as the defending champions were bowled out with 41 balls still remaining in the chase.

Brief scores: San Francisco Unicorns 269/5 in 20 overs (Finn Allen 151, Hassan Khan 38*; Jack Edwards 2/39) beat Washington Freedom 146 in 13.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 42, Mitchell Owen 39; Haris Rauf 3/30) by 123 runs