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Glenn Maxwell's Washington Freedom finished at the top of the points table with a 6-wicket win over MI New York. But, Nicholas Pooran-led MI New York ended up making it to the playoffs as they have a better net run rate (NRR) than Seattle Orcas who have three wins from 10 league stage games as well. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Knight Riders bowed out of the tournament in style with an 11-run win over San Francisco Unicorns, featuring opener Andre Fletcher's 58-ball 118.
In the first clash of the day, Pooran won the toss and opted to bat first in the 18 overs per side game due to wet outfield. On his MLC debut, Kunwarjeet Singh scored 33 runs from 30 balls. But MI New York could not gain momentum at any point of the match. Maxwell struck thrice whereas Glenn Phillips got two in an over as MI New York managed to post 112/8.
Chasing 113, Washington Freedom lost both openers -- Mitchell Owen and Rachin Ravindra -- early. Mark Chapman contributed with an 18-ball 27 cameo. Maxwell became on-debut South Africa pacer Tristan Luus' second victim. But, Andries Gous' unbeaten 34-ball 46 led Washington Freedom to a comfortable six-wicket win with three overs to spare.
Fletcher hits century, Hales and Rutherford run riot too
In the second game of the day, San Francisco Unicorns captain Matthew Short won the toss and opted to bowl first. Alex Hales and Fletcher got Knight Riders off to a blazing start. Replacing an injured Haris Rauf, Ben Lister conceded 29 runs in his second over. Knight Riders were 76 for no loss after powerplay overs. In the eighth over, Hales reached his half-century from just 24 balls. He was dismissed by Karima Gore in the same over. The former England opener scored 58 runs from 26 balls. Rain interrupted play after 10 overs when Knight Riders' score was 112/1. The game was reduced to 19 overs per side.
As play resumed, Fletcher reached his fifty from 32 balls. Sherfane Rutherford and Fletcher wreaked havoc after the rain break. In the 15th over, Fletcher's catch was dropped by Gore. Rutherford missed his fifty and became Bartlett's only wicket of the evening. He scored 49 runs from 28 balls, featuring four fours and three sixes. In the 18th over, Brody Couch bowled three wides and a no ball. Fletcher punished Couch and hit him for three sixes and a four in the over. He reached his second hundred of the season from 52 balls. In the last over, Fletcher hit Hassan Khan for two sixes. He lost his wicket on the last ball of the innings. His knock of 118 runs from 58 balls was studded with 10 fours and eight sixes. LA Knight Riders post a huge total of 243/3.
Top-order fails but dropped catches keep Unicorns' run chase afloat
San Francisco Unicorns' run chase of 245 (as per DLS) got off to a horrible start. Dominic Drakes dismissed Finn Allen in the first over. Then, on-debut Karthik Gattepali got rid of Short and Fraser-McGurk in his first over. Drakes could have taken another but Shadley van Schalkwyk's catch was dropped in the third over. In the fourth over, Shadley dropped Sanjay Krishnamurthi's catch twice. Hassan's catch was dropped off Gattepali's bowling as well. He departed for a 17-ball 35 in the eighth over. In the ninth over, Krishnamurthi got another reprieve as Dry dropped his second catch. He reached his fifty from 28 balls.
Krishnamurthi's 92 goes in vain
Krishnamurthi continued to hit big and smashed Shadley and Drakes for fours and six. Captain Jason Holder brought himself back into the attack and dismissed Krishnamurthi. He scored 92 runs from 40 balls, including seven fours and as many sixes. Hammad Azam and Bartlett tried to keep the run chase alive. Bartlett hit Dry for two sixes and a four in the 16th over. Holder, in his last over, got the wicket of Azam who scored 38 runs from 27 balls. Drakes returned and Gore was run out by Ganesh. Couch arrived at the crease and hit Drakes for a four and a six. Unicorns needed 18 runs off the last over. Shadley conceded six runs off first three balls. Then, he dismissed Bartlett and Lister off consecutive deliveries to help Knight Riders win by 11 runs.
MLC 2025 playoffs -
On July 8, Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings will go up against each other in Dallas in Qualifier 1. Then, on July 9, San Francisco Unicorns and MI New York will play the eliminator clash.
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