SF Unicorns vs Seattle Orcas Preview – MLC 2026 | Statz

26th June 2026

San Francisco Unicorns take on Seattle Orcas at the Oakland Coliseum in Major League Cricket 2026 on Friday 27 June at 07:00 IST (02:30 BST). Both sides are level on 2 points from three matches apiece, sitting 5th and 6th in the table respectively. A crucial contest at the bottom of the standings – neither can afford another defeat.

The Venue – Oakland Coliseum

Oakland continues to be a batting paradise. Across 10 T20s at this venue, the average first-innings total is 190.3 and teams batting first have won 70% of the time. Match totals average 337.6 runs, with 22.5 sixes and 23.2 fours per game. Pace bowlers have conceded at 9.13 per over and spinners at 8.89. The most recent match here saw Texas Super Kings post 161/8 before bowling out the Unicorns for 139 – well below the ground average. The highest total at this venue stands at 269.

Form and Table

San Francisco Unicorns (5th – P3, W1, L2)

Seattle Orcas (6th – P3, W1, L2)

MLC 2026 Standings (Top 4)

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Los Angeles Knight Riders 2 2 0 4
2 Texas Super Kings 4 2 2 4
3 Washington Freedom 2 1 1 2
4 MI New York 2 1 1 2

SFU and SO both sit outside the top four on 2 points. The season is still young, but with identical records this match is essentially a six-pointer for both sides.

Head-to-Head

Five meetings since 2023 (Statz data). San Francisco Unicorns lead 3-2 overall. SFU won three straight between 2024 and mid-2025 before the Orcas hit back with a four-wicket victory in July 2025. The last meeting saw SO chase down 169 at Central Broward.

Neither side has faced the other at Oakland Coliseum before. The venue records are telling though – SFU have won 3 of 4 matches at this ground, while the Orcas have lost all three of their Oakland fixtures. Home advantage is real here.

Statz Projections

The Statz projections strongly favour the Unicorns. If SFU bat first, they are given a 65.3% win probability with a projected first-innings total of 197.6 and a match total of 373.6. If Seattle bat first, SFU still hold a 58.3% chance, though the projected first-innings total drops to 183.7 and the match total to 360.

Both scenarios project match totals above the venue average of 337.6. The P10-P90 range for the first innings is 170-226 (SFU batting first) and 143-219 (SO batting first). The wider P10 spread in the second scenario reflects Seattle’s inconsistency.

Competition Season Leaders

Orange Cap – Top Run Scorers (MLC 2026)

Player Runs Inn
Tim Seifert (SO) 224 4
Mitchell Owen (WSF) 221 3
Faf du Plessis (TSK) 159 3
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (SFU) 144 3
Shayan Jahangir (SO) 129 4

Purple Cap – Top Wicket Takers (MLC 2026)

Player Wkts Inn
Jasdeep Singh (SO) 11 4
Ottneil Baartman (SO) 9 4
Amshi de Silva (TSK) 7 4
Peter Siddle (SFU) 6 3
Dasun Shanaka (SO) 5 4

San Francisco Unicorns Season Leaders (3 matches): Lhuan-dre Pretorius leads the runs with 144 (avg 48.0, HS 69). Peter Siddle tops the wickets with 6 in 3 innings.

Seattle Orcas Season Leaders (3 matches): Tim Seifert has been magnificent with 187 runs (avg 62.33, HS 104). Ottneil Baartman leads the bowling with 8 wickets from 3 matches.

Predicted XIs

San Francisco Unicorns (based on XI from 25 Jun 2026 vs TSK)

Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Finn Allen, Matthew Short (c), Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hammad Azam, Hassan Khan, Brody Couch, Ghulam Mudassar, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle

Seattle Orcas (based on XI from 26 Jun 2026 vs WSF)

Tim Seifert (wk), Shayan Jahangir, Matthew Breetzke, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis (c), Dasun Shanaka, Ali Sheikh, Harmeet Singh, Cameron Gannon, Jasdeep Singh, Ottneil Baartman

Always check the Statz fixture page for toss updates and confirmed playing XIs.

Dream11 Tips – Captain and Vice Captain

Statz projections for this fixture highlight these Dream11 picks (from players in the predicted XI):

Captain: Ottneil Baartman – projected 96.5 Dream11 points. The Orcas’ pace spearhead has 9 wickets in the competition and is projected for 2.12 wickets in this match. A 100% hit rate for 1+ wickets this season makes him a must-have.

Vice-Captain: Finn Allen – projected 89.8 Dream11 points. SFU’s explosive opener is projected for 37-42 runs at a strike rate that could rack up bonus points on this batting-friendly surface.

Also consider:

Key Players

Tim Seifert (Seattle Orcas) – The competition’s leading run-scorer with 224 runs including a century. Seifert averages 62.33 this season and has a 66.7% hit rate for 20+ and 30+ runs. If Seattle are to compete, he needs a big innings.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius (San Francisco Unicorns) – SFU’s top scorer with 144 runs at an average of 48 and a 66.7% hit rate for 30+ runs. Pretorius sits 4th in the Orange Cap race and is a genuine matchday difference-maker.

Ottneil Baartman (Seattle Orcas) – Nine wickets in four innings this season with a 100% hit rate for 1+ wickets and a 66.7% rate for 2+ wickets. Projected for 2.12 wickets here – the highest in the match. Even on a batting paradise, Baartman finds a way.

Peter Siddle (San Francisco Unicorns) – The veteran has 6 wickets in 3 matches with a 100% hit rate for taking 1+ wickets this season. Siddle’s experience at Oakland (3 wins from 4 here with SFU) is invaluable.

Conditions

Cloudy skies and 17 degrees Celsius with no rain forecast. Humidity is high at 84% with light winds – conditions that could offer some assistance to the seamers in the early overs.

Verdict and Betting Angles

San Francisco Unicorns are the clear favourites here, and with good reason. They have a strong Oakland record (3 wins from 4), a dominant head-to-head lead (3-2), and Statz gives them a 65% win probability when batting first. Seattle’s Oakland record of 0 wins from 3 is a serious concern. No odds are currently available for this fixture.

Betting angles from the Statz Bet Builder:

Prediction: San Francisco Unicorns to win. Their Oakland pedigree, stronger batting depth, and Seattle’s winless record at this venue make the Unicorns a confident pick.