Washington Freedom beat Texas Super Kings by 3 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) – Major League Cricket Match Report
Washington Freedom won by 3 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) in the 27th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. Ben Dwarshuis delivered a match-winning all-round performance – 38 off 16 balls with the bat and 1/32 with the ball – as Washington chased down Texas Super Kings’ 165 with 2 balls to spare. The victory lifts Washington to 4th (5W 4L, 10pts) while Texas remain 6th (3W 6L, 6pts) and slipping further from playoff contention.
Texas Super Kings Post 165 All Out
Washington won the toss and elected to bowl, but Texas made them work hard for their victory. Faf du Plessis was the standout performer with 61 off 41 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) at a strike rate of 149, anchoring the innings before being clean bowled at 130/1 in the 14th over. Saiteja Mukkamalla provided explosive support with 47 off 29 (5 sixes) at a strike rate of 162, helping Texas build momentum in the powerplay and middle overs.
The middle order crumbled under Washington’s disciplined bowling. Rilee Rossouw fell for just 4 at 109/3, while Dian Forrester managed only 9 off 5 (1 six) at 121/4. Shubham Ranjane (20 off 15, 1 six) and Amshi de Silva (9 off 5, 2 fours) offered brief resistance, but Washington’s bowlers tightened the screws in the death overs. Mitchell Owen was the pick of Washington’s attack with 2/19 from 3 overs, while Rachin Ravindra and Nikhil Chaudhary each took 2 wickets. Ben Dwarshuis claimed 1/32 from 4 overs.
Washington’s Nervy Chase
Steven Smith led Washington’s chase with 46 off 29 (5 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 159, setting the tone early. Rachin Ravindra provided crucial momentum with 24 off 12 (3 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 200, but Washington’s top order struggled to build substantial partnerships. Mitchell Owen departed for 7 at 19/1, and Andries Gous managed only 9 at 97/4.
The chase tightened when Nikhil Chaudhary was clean bowled for 12 at 107/5 in the 15th over, leaving Washington needing 59 from 30 balls with half their side gone. Lahiru Milantha fell for 1 at 100/6, but Obus Pienaar (16 off 18, 1 four, 1 six) kept the scoreboard ticking. The decisive moment came when Ben Dwarshuis exploded in the final overs – 38 off just 16 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes) at a strike rate of 238 – blasting Washington to the brink of victory. Marco Jansen (7 off 4, 1 four) finished the job with an unbeaten cameo.
Texas’s bowling attack lacked cohesion. Akeal Hosein took 2/26 from 4 overs, while Abhimanyu Lamba claimed 2/39 from 4. Dian Forrester took 2/28 from 4, but the damage was done by Dwarshuis’s late assault.
Statz MVP: Ben Dwarshuis (Statz Rating: 100.09)
Ben Dwarshuis earns the Statz MVP award with a Statz Rating of 100.09. His 38 off 16 with the bat – struck at 238 – turned the match decisively in Washington’s favour in the final stages, while his 1/32 from 4 overs with the ball kept Texas’s scoring in check during their innings. Dwarshuis’s all-round impact was the difference between the two sides.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Ben Dwarshuis (WSF) – Statz Rating: 100.09 | 38 off 16 (SR 238, 2 fours, 3 sixes) plus 1/32 with the ball. Match-winning all-rounder in the death overs.
- Rachin Ravindra (WSF) – Statz Rating: 89.24 | 24 off 12 (SR 200, 3 fours, 1 six) plus 2/20 from 3 overs. Explosive batting and disciplined bowling.
- Dian Forrester (TSK) – Statz Rating: 72.5 | 9 off 5 (1 six) with the bat plus 2/28 from 4 overs. Solid all-round contribution in defeat.
- Akeal Hosein (TSK) – Statz Rating: 69.79 | 0 off 1 with the bat plus 2/26 from 4 overs. Economical bowling despite the loss.
- Mitchell Owen (WSF) – Statz Rating: 69.03 | 7 off 11 with the bat plus 2/19 from 3 overs. Exceptional bowling performance in the powerplay.
Turning Point
The match turned decisively in the 18th over when Ben Dwarshuis came to the crease with Washington needing 59 from 30 balls. His 38 off 16 – featuring three sixes – shifted the momentum completely. Texas had kept the chase competitive until that moment, but Dwarshuis’s assault made the target academic, leaving Marco Jansen to seal victory with an unbeaten 7 off 4.
Match Context
This was the 27th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season. Washington Freedom (4th, 5W 4L, 10pts) move to within striking distance of the top three with this crucial win. Texas Super Kings (6th, 3W 6L, 6pts) remain in the bottom half and face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or explore the bet builder for this fixture.
