Finn Allen Smashes 19 Sixes, Breaks Chris Gayle’s T20 Record in MLC 2025 Opener

Finn Allen went absolutely wild with the bat in the opening match of Major League Cricket 2025. The New Zealand opener, playing for San Francisco Unicorns, broke one of the most feared records in T20 cricket, most sixes in a single innings.

Allen smashed 19 sixes in his knock of 151 off just 51 balls. With this, he went past the joint record of 18 sixes held by Chris Gayle and Sahil Chauhan. Gayle had set the record during his unbeaten 175 in IPL 2013, and for years, it looked like no one could touch it. But on a flat Texas pitch, Allen went after everything and hit the ball into the stands like he was playing in his backyard.

The Unicorns were up against defending champions Washington Freedom. Allen made sure they had no chance. He brought up his century in just 34 balls, making it the second-fastest hundred ever in franchise T20 cricket. Only Chris Gayle’s 30-ball hundred has come quicker.

More than just the six-hitting, Allen’s knock helped San Francisco post 269 for 5, the highest team total in MLC history. It was complete domination from start to finish. Washington, led by Glenn Maxwell, never looked in the chase and folded for 146. The Unicorns won by 123 runs, making it the biggest win by runs in the tournament’s short history.

Allen’s innings finally ended in the 18th over when Glenn Phillips caught him off the bowling of Mitchell Owen. But by then, the damage was long done. Allen had taken the game miles away from Washington Freedom’s reach.

What made it even more interesting was Allen’s battle with his fellow New Zealanders. He took on Ben Sears, Rachin Ravindra, and Glenn Phillips without any mercy.