• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Mid Season Mayhem Klaasen Steps Down Coach Sacked As Seattle Orcas Hit Reset

Mid-Season Mayhem! Klaasen Steps Down; Coach Sacked As Seattle Orcas Hit Reset

Rajgeeta Yadav

Heinrich Klaasen Steps Down As Seattle Orcas Captain [Source: @onecricketcom/X.com]Heinrich Klaasen Steps Down As Seattle Orcas Captain [Source: @onecricketcom/X.com]

The Seattle Orcas are going through a major crisis in the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season. After five straight losses, the team has made two massive changes, captain Heinrich Klaasen has stepped down, and head coach Matthew Mott has parted ways with the franchise.

Heinrich Klaasen Steps Down As Seattle Orcas Captain

The management shared that Klaasen gave up captaincy to fully focus on his batting, as he’s been struggling with form, scoring just 70 runs in 6 matches, with his best being an unbeaten 27. Despite giving up leadership, Klaasen will continue to play and remains a key part of the team’s core group. 

In an official statement, the Orcas' CEO Hemant Dua said:

“This is a moment of reflection and renewal for the Seattle Orcas.“This has been a tough run for the team, and with it, some difficult decisions had to be made. We are grateful to Matthew for his commitment and professionalism during his time with us, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors," he added.

"We respect Heinrich’s decision to step down voluntarily as captain to focus on his batting. This reflects his character and team-first mindset. Sikandar was our unanimous choice once we heard from Klassen about his decision. We believe these changes set the stage for a strong second half of the season” he further added.

Sikandar Raza Takes Charge As New Captain

Taking over the reins is Zimbabwean star Sikandar Raza, a seasoned all-rounder with international experience. The management believes Raza has the leadership skills to turn things around and inspire a strong comeback.

Just after the shake-up, Seattle Orcas pulled off a miraculous run chase against MI New York. Chasing a massive 238, the Orcas clinched a thrilling last-ball win thanks to a jaw-dropping 97* off 40 balls from Shimron Hetmyer.

With six runs needed off the final ball, Hetmyer smashed Kieron Pollard for a six over fine leg, sealing their first victory of the season. It was one of the most exciting finishes of MLC 2025.

Earlier, MI New York had posted 237/4 with Nicholas Pooran scoring 108* and Tajinder Dhillon hammering 95 from just 35 balls.

Seattle Orcas still have four more matches left in the group stage. Currently, San Francisco Unicorns top the table with six wins in six matches and are the only team to have secured a playoff spot. Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings follow in 2nd and 3rd positions.