San Francisco Unicorns made a stunning recovery in their chase of 183 against MI New York courtesy of Xavier Bartlett's maiden T20 half-century on Sunday (June 15).
Xavier Bartlett smashes whirlwind maiden T20 fifty
Chasing 183, SF Unicorns were struggling big time at 108-6 in 12.2 overs when Bartlett joined captain Corey Anderson at the crease. Before this game, the Australian quick had scored 268 runs from 36 T20 innings, averaging 14 and striking at 108 with the bat. From the 247 balls he had faced in his T20 career, Bartlett had only hit four sixes. With 75 needed from 7.4 overs, all hope lay on Anderson's shoulders.
Also read: Two fours, 11 sixes: Australia batter lights up MLC after five consecutive single-digit scores
At the end of 14 overs, Bartlett was on four off six balls, with Anderson on eight off 10. Michael Bracewell came on to bowl his second over, which is when Bartlett cut loose. In the space of four balls, he nearly doubled his T20 career sixes tally, smashing the off-spinner for a four and three sixes to race to 27 off 11.
Anderson got out in the next over with SF Unicorns needing another 38 off 27 balls. Bartlett then hit Trent Boult for two fours and a six to close off the 17th over before taking a double off the last ball of Naveen-ul-Haq's 18th to reach a rapid 21-ball fifty - his first in white-ball cricket. It didn't take long for him to finish the game off, doing it in style with a six off Kieron Pollard in the last over.
Match 6, San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York
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- Ball by ball Over
Earlier in the game, Bartlett had opened the bowling for SF Unicorns, picking 1-32 off his four overs, taking the wicket of opposition skipper Nicholas Pooran.
Also read: Fastest 150, most sixes: NZ opener shatters T20 world records in MLC opener
Before this, Bartlett had crossed 30 only twice in his T20 career with his previous highest score being a 29-ball 42 not out for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Thunder in 2021.
The 26-year-old has played two ODIs and seven T20Is for Australia so far, picking up eight and 11 wickets respectively. His overall international career average of 10.52 is the all-time best among players from Full Member countries to have picked up at least 15 wickets.
Xavier Bartlett's highest T20 scores
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s | 6s | SR | Start Date |
| 59* | 25 | 4 | 5 | 236 | 15 Jun 2025 |
| 42* | 29 | 3 | 1 | 144.82 | 19 Dec 2021 |
| 34* | 25 | 5 | 0 | 136 | 8 Dec 2021 |
| 28* | 17 | 4 | 0 | 164.7 | 27 Dec 2022 |
| 26* | 18 | 3 | 1 | 144.44 | 6 Dec 2021 |
| 19* | 20 | 3 | 0 | 95 | 12 Jan 2022 |
| 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 172.72 | 4 Feb 2021 |
