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News18
4 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Bengaluru's Computer Science Student Smashes Rachin Ravindra For 4 Sixes In MLC
Last Updated: Sanjay Krishnamurthi, the Indian-origin cricketer slammed the Kiwi allrounder for four consecutive maximums during the Major League Cricket opening game for San Francisco Unicorns. New Zealand's aggressive striker Finn Allen may have grabbed the headlines with his unbelievable 151 in the Major League Cricket opener on Friday, June 13, but the match between San Francisco Unicorns and the Washington Freedom also gave Bengaluru's computer science student Sanjay Krishmurthi his moment of triumph. An Indian-origin cricketer, who plays for USA internationally, Krishnamurthi shot into limelight by hitting Kiwi allrounder Rachin Ravindra for four consecutive sixes. Walking in at No.4 for the San Francisco franchise, Krishnamurthi helped his team continue the Allen-inspired domination against their Washington-based rivals at the Oakland Coliseum in California. The 22-year-old right-hand batter took a few singles before entering the beast mode upon Ravindra's introduction to the attack. Extremely strong hitting the ball down the ground, he dispatched the left-arm spinner to long-on and deep mid-wicket for four successive maximums in the 8th over. Krishnamurthi finished with a cameo of 36 off 20 deliveries in a magnificent partnership of 88 runs with Allen, who shattered multiple T20 records on his way to a memorable 151 off just 51 balls. Allen's jaw-dropping knock featured 19 sixes as the New Zealand right-hander took the game away from Washington Freedom in the first half, allowing San Francisco Unicorns to post an insurmountable 269/5 in their 20 overs. In response, team Washington collapsed to 146 all out inside 14 overs. While all the plaudits from the one-sided first game were reserved for New Zealand's valiant power hitter, Krishnamurthi rejoiced playing his part in the victory. Born in Arizona, US, the youngster held dreams of representing India and shifted to Karnataka to start his cricketing journey. He even earned selection for the Karnataka U-16 side, but Krishnamurthi soon realised he had two major obstacles in the way of donning the India cap. First, his Overseas Citizen of India card would've prevented him from representing the country and second, the insane competition for places right from domestic cricket to the highest level. 'Yeah, from the moment I started playing cricket in India, the goal was to play for India. But I think I was also realistic. That it could happen. But I can't bank on anything happening," Krishnamurthi told The Times Of India. 'Because there are so many other players. And if it doesn't happen, what is my life going to look like? And yet, to make it happen, you have to throw everything at it, you can't go in half-heartedly." Krishnamurthi, who decided not to give up on his US citizenship, first appeared in the MLC trials back in 2019 before earning a contract with the Unicorns last year. He has been juggling through his computer studies at the San Jose University in San Francisco and duties for the American national cricket team. Krishnamurthi has played 14 ODIs and nine T20Is for USA. First Published:
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru's Sanjay Krishnamurthi, a Computer Science student, smashes New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra for 4 sixes in a row
When all eyes were on Finn Allen, who was hitting the ball to different parts of the ground during a Major League Cricket (MCL) between the San Francisco Unicorns and the Washington Freedom, a 22-year-old young man from Bengaluru created ripples with his battling exploits. Sanjay Krishnamurthi, an Indian origin cricketer who plays for the USA, shot into the limelight by smashing New Zealand international Rachin Ravindra for four consecutive sixes in one over at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday. Coming into bat at the fall of Jake Fraser-McGurk's wicket in the last over of the powerplay, Krishnamurthi took his time to get his eye in by nudging singles but once he saw the left-arm spin of Ravindra, he sprang into action. In the 8th over, bowled by Ravindra, Krishnamurthi blasted him for four consecutive sixes. It was not a surprise that all four of Krishnamurthi's sixes came in the long-on and deep mid-wicket region. He is extremely strong off his pads and Ravindra kept feeding to his strengths. The pitch offered little assistance to the bowlers, which helped Krishnamurthi to line up the Washington bowler and launch into an assault. Krishnamurthi scored 36 runs off 20 balls and stitched a blazing partnership of 88 runs with Finn Allen off just 37 balls. Allen ended up smashing multiple T20 records on his way to 151 off 51 balls with 19 sixes to help San Francisco post 269/5 in their 20 overs, which proved way too many for the Washington Freedom. Despite getting off to a fiery start, they collapsed to 146 all out in 13.1 overs. San Francisco won the match by a whopping 123 runs. While Allen, who broke the record for most sixes in T20 cricket, was undoubtedly the star of the show, Krishnamurthi did leave his mark on the game. Born in Arizona, US, Krishnamurthi shifted to Karnataka with hopes of representing India at the highest level, reported The Times of India. He represented the Karnataka U116 team but soon realised that playing for India had many roadblocks. The two most prominent ones were his Overseas Citizen of India card, which prevents him from representing India at the international level, and the supreme pool of talent that India has in cricket; the competition is insane. "Yeah, from the moment I started playing cricket in India, the goal was to play for India. But I think I was also realistic. That it could happen. But I can't bank on anything happening. Because there are so many other players. And if it doesn't happen, what is my life going to look like? And yet, to make it happen, you have to throw everything at it, you can't go in half-heartedly," said the 22-year-old who has represented the USA in 14 ODIs and nine T20Is. With the dream of playing for India practically closed after he decided not to give up on his US citizenship, Krishanmurthi's professional cricket career took a different turn in 2019 when he appeared for the MLC trials. Since then Krishanmurthi has been juggling as a Computer Student at San Jose University in San Francisco and playing cricket for the USA. He got leeway from the University professors after he laid out a few impressive performances for USA in ODI cricket. Last year, he earned an MLC contract with the San Francisco Unicorns. "Last season was my first time actually playing, and it was an incredible experience, especially to be alongside players such as Cummins, who is the Australian captain and one of the best players in the world right now. It was an opportunity for me to test myself against these guys, and until that point, I didn't know quite where I stood at the highest level. But after last season, it gave me a lot of confidence," he said.
