Washington Freedom beat MI New York by 5 wickets (with 9 balls remaining) – Major League Cricket Match Report
Washington Freedom won by 5 wickets (with 9 balls remaining) in the 29th match of 34 in Major League Cricket at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. Andries Gous produced a devastating 96 off 54 balls – striking at 178 with 4 fours and 8 sixes – to steer the Freedom to a commanding chase and keep their playoff hopes alive. The win lifts Washington to 3rd (6W 4L, 12pts) while MI New York slip to 4th (5W 5L, 10pts) in the standings.
MI New York Post 187
Washington won the toss and elected to bowl, but MI New York’s batting lineup made them work hard. Monank Patel fell early for 17 at 31/1 in the 4th over, followed by Quinton de Kock for just 2 at 10/2 in the 1st over.
Nicholas Pooran took centre stage with a blistering 86 off 44 balls (4 fours, 8 sixes) at a strike rate of 195, lifting MI New York from 10/2 to 150/3 by the 15th over. Kunwarjeet Singh contributed 26 off 20 (1 four, 1 six) in a 40-run stand with Pooran, but Pooran’s dismissal LBW at 150/3 in the 15th over proved the turning point. Kieron Pollard managed just 3 at 154/4, and Shakib Al Hasan added 18 off 13 (2 fours, 1 six) late in the innings to push the total to 187.
Saurabh Netravalkar and Ben Dwarshuis were Washington’s standout bowlers, each taking 2/29 from 4 overs. Rachin Ravindra struck twice in his single over, conceding just 6 runs at an economy of 6.
Washington’s Chase – Gous Takes Control
Mitchell Owen started aggressively with 7 off 4 (1 six) before falling at 11/1 in the 1st over. Steven Smith departed for 3 at 13/2 in the 2nd over, but Rachin Ravindra steadied the ship with 60 off 30 (5 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 200, building a 116-run partnership with Gous that took Washington to the brink of victory.
Gous was the centrepiece of the chase, smashing 96 off 54 balls with 8 sixes and 4 fours – a strike rate of 178 that proved too much for MI New York’s bowling attack. He was caught at 176/4 in the 17th over, but by then the result was all but settled. Ben Dwarshuis was bowled for 6 at 160/5 in the 16th over, but Glenn Maxwell finished the job with an unbeaten 12 off 5 (2 fours) at a strike rate of 240.
Trent Boult was MI New York’s best bowler with 2/33 from 4 overs, while Shakib Al Hasan took 1/24 from 3. The Washington chase was clinical and ruthless – they needed just 18.3 overs to reach 190, winning with 9 balls to spare.
Statz MVP: Nicholas Pooran (Statz Rating: 107.99)
Nicholas Pooran earns the Statz MVP award with an mi_rating of 107.99 – a dominant batting display that kept MI New York competitive. His 86 off 44 balls at a strike rate of 195, featuring 8 sixes, was the standout individual performance of the match. Though his team fell short, Pooran’s impact was undeniable. Andries Gous was named official Man of the Match for his match-winning 96.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Nicholas Pooran (MINY) – Statz Rating: 107.99 | 86 off 44 (SR 195, 8 sixes) – Explosive batting display in a losing effort.
- Rachin Ravindra (WSF) – Statz Rating: 101.82 | 60 off 30 (SR 200, 2 wickets for 6 runs) – All-round masterclass in the chase.
- Andries Gous (WSF) – Statz Rating: 92.09 | 96 off 54 (SR 178, 8 sixes) – Match-winning assault in the chase.
- Trent Boult (MINY) – Statz Rating: 73.39 | 2/33 from 4 overs – Economical bowling under pressure.
- Shakib Al Hasan (MINY) – Statz Rating: 63.73 | 18 off 13 (1 six) plus 1/24 from 3 overs – Useful contribution with bat and ball.
Turning Point
The match turned when Nicholas Pooran was dismissed LBW for 86 at 150/3 in the 15th over. Pooran had been carrying MI New York’s innings at a strike rate of 195, and his departure left the lower order to rebuild. Though Shakib Al Hasan pushed the total to 187, the loss of Pooran meant MI New York lacked the momentum to post a truly competitive total. Washington’s chase was then built on the back of Rachin Ravindra and Andries Gous, who combined for 156 runs in 84 balls to seal the victory.
Match Context
This was the 29th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season. Washington Freedom (3rd, 6W 4L, 12pts) move above MI New York (4th, 5W 5L, 10pts) in the standings with this commanding five-wicket victory. The Freedom’s net run rate of -0.399 remains a concern, but the win keeps them in contention for a playoff spot. See the full scorecard and head-to-head record on Statz for complete match details.
