New Zealand opener Finn Allen delivered a sensational performance to kick off Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, smashing a world record 19 sixes in a breathtaking knock of 151 off just 51 balls for the San Francisco Unicorns against defending champions Washington Freedom.
Key Highlights of the Innings
- Record Sixes: Allen cleared the boundary 19 times, breaking the previous T20 record of 18 sixes in an innings held by Chris Gayle and Sahil Chauhan.
- Fastest Century: He reached his hundred in just 34 balls, setting a new MLC record for the fastest century, surpassing Nicholas Pooran’s 40-ball mark.
- Fastest 150 in T20s: Allen brought up his 150 in just 49 balls, the fastest ever in T20 cricket history.
- Highest Individual Score in MLC: His 151 is now the highest individual score in the league’s history.
- Team Record: The Unicorns posted 269/5, the highest team total in MLC history, powered by Allen’s onslaught.
How the Innings Unfolded
- Allen began aggressively, hitting his first six in the opening over and racing to 40 off 14 balls inside the powerplay.
- He frequently hit multiple sixes in an over, including hat-tricks of sixes against both Mitchell Owen and Glenn Phillips.
- His century came off 34 balls, and he continued the carnage to reach 150 in just 49 deliveries.
- The record-breaking 19th six came before he was dismissed in the 18th over, caught at long-on.
- The Unicorns’ total of 269/5 set a new MLC team record, and Washington Freedom were bowled out for 146, handing the Unicorns a massive 123-run win.
Records Broken by Finn Allen
| Record | Previous Holder(s) | Previous Record | Allen’s New Record |
| Most sixes in a T20 innings | Chris Gayle, Sahil Chauhan | 18 | 19 |
| Fastest MLC century | Nicholas Pooran | 40 balls | 34 balls |
| Fastest 150 in T20 cricket | – | >49 balls | 49 balls |
| Highest individual MLC score | – | <151 | 151 |
| Highest team total in MLC | – | <269 | 269/5 |
Impact and Reaction
Allen’s innings was described as “incendiary” and “breathtaking,” immediately setting the tone for the MLC 2025 season and raising the bar for power-hitting in T20 cricket. His performance not only avenged last year’s final defeat for the Unicorns but also marked a historic moment for the league and T20 cricket globally.
“The opener smashed 151 off just 51 balls, clearing the ropes a record 19 times in the process.”
This explosive start has firmly placed Finn Allen and the San Francisco Unicorns in the spotlight as the team to watch in MLC 2025.
