The 20 year old smashed an unbeaten 102 off 52 balls as the Unicorns comfortably chased down a target of 144. Pretorius dominated from the outset, taking on veteran seamer Trent Boult and showcasing the fearless strokeplay that has made him one of South Africa’s brightest young prospects.
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His century, scored at a strike rate of 196.15, was the first of his T20 career and came with a touch of luck after an early lbw decision was overturned on review. Pretorius later revealed that he had used a borrowed bat from opening partner Finn Allen during his match winning knock.
MI New York’s total of 143-9 was built around South African wicketkeeper batsman Ryan Rickelton, who top scored with 35 from 21 deliveries. However, the innings never gained momentum as Unicorns captain Matt Short claimed 3-24 with his off spin, while Aaron Hardie chipped in with two wickets.
Pretorius then made light work of the chase, finding boundaries all around the ground and sharing an unbroken partnership with Short to seal victory with plenty of balls to spare.
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The knock is the latest highlight in a breakthrough year for Pretorius, who has already impressed in his young professional career. His maiden T20 century further strengthens his growing reputation as one of South African cricket’s most exciting young talents.
A moment to remember 🏆 Lhuan-dre Pretorius gets his maiden T20 century with 102* (52) for the San Francisco Unicorns 🦄 pic.twitter.com/8xC3h2EuiM
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 9, 2026
Photo: Cricbuzz/X
