Du Plessis hundred powers TSK past Seifert ton in season opener
The Hundred Duel
Tim Seifert 104 off 64: Seattle Orcas debutant smashed a 64-ball century to power Orcas to a big total. Faf du Plessis 113_ off 52: TSK captain replied with his own ton, taking the shine off Seifert’s knock.
Faf du Plessis became the oldest men's T20 centurion on his way to powering Texas Super Kings (TSK) to a domineering six-wicket win over Seattle Orcas in the MLC 2026 season-opener in Dallas.
TSK vs Seattle Orcas: TSK lost Saiteja Mukkamulla for a duck in over 1, but Du Plessis + Rilee Rossouw went berserk. Powerplay carnage: 89/0 after 6 overs. Du Plessis + Rossouw both in their 40s. 17-run 2nd over, 18-run 3rd over with Du Plessis hitting 4, 6, 6. Faf’s milestones: 24-ball fifty in 9th over, 45-ball hundred in 16th over. Finish: Wiaan Mulder 31_ off 15 joined in. TSK wrapped it up in 19th over with Du Plessis 113_ and Mulder 31.
Du Plessis, at 41 years and 340 days, broke Paul Collingwood's record (41 years and 65 days) set in 2017. He got to his century in just 45 balls, and finished unbeaten on 113 off 52 balls, as TSK chased down 221 with nine balls remaining. The chase was almost entirely driven by South Africans: Rilee Rossouw scored a 21-ball 49 in a tone-setting 95-run second-wicket partnership with du Plessis, which consumed just 37 balls, while Wiaan Mulder hurried TSK towards the finish with an unbeaten 15-ball 31.
Rossouw 49 off 21 fell to a one-handed Seifert catch, but Faf kept going.13th over: Du Plessis hit 3 sixes off Ottneil Baartman for 22 runs to kill any Orcas comeback. Equation: Needed 50 off last 5 overs, got there with 6 balls left.
Bottom line: In the MLC 2026 opener, Seifert’s maiden T20 ton for Orcas wasn’t enough. 41-year-old Faf du Plessis’ 113_ off 52 balls led Texas Super Kings to a commanding win to start their season.
Another South African was instrumental in TSK's bowling effort, with left-arm quick Nandre Burger conceding just 27 in his four overs including a 19th over that went for just eight.
