San Francisco Unicorns have become the first franchise to qualify for the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) playoffs, and much of the credit belongs to one man—Haris Rauf.

Retained ahead of the season despite underwhelming returns last year, Rauf has transformed into the league’s most lethal fast bowler. Through six matches, the Pakistani pacer has taken 16 wickets, comfortably leading the tournament charts. His average of 13.18 and ability to strike during both the powerplay and death overs have been instrumental in the Unicorns’ rise to the top.

The Unicorns remain undefeated after six games, sitting on 12 points with an imposing net run rate of +2.472, making them the clear frontrunners. Their most recent triumph came against the Seattle Orcas, capping a stretch that includes wins over MI New York, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom.

Rauf’s partnership with Xavier Bartlett, who has taken 10 wickets, has been central to their bowling dominance. Together, the pace duo has choked opposition batting units across venues, exploiting bounce and seam with deadly accuracy.

On the batting front, Finn Allen has delivered a standout performance. The New Zealand opener has amassed 298 runs in just five innings, boasting a strike rate of 246.28—the best in the competition. His aggressive starts have allowed the Unicorns to set or chase daunting targets with ease.

All-rounder Hassan Khan has provided lower-order stability, while Matthew Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Romario Shepherd have contributed timely runs and key fielding efforts.

With all units functioning seamlessly, San Francisco appear not only playoff-bound but favourites to lift the MLC trophy. For Haris Rauf, this campaign marks a personal comeback and a bold statement of intent: he remains one of the most fearsome T20 bowlers on the global stage.