Washington Freedom Triumphs Over San Francisco Unicorns to Secure MLC Final Spot

Washington Freedom achieved a 7-wicket victory against San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket 2024 Qualifier, thanks to standout performances from Rachin Ravindra, Travis Head, and Glenn Maxwell. The win secures their place in the final, while the Unicorns face Texas Super Kings in the Challenger.

Washington Freedom registered an emphatic 7-wicket win over the San Francisco Unicorns in the Qualifier of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday, securing their spot in the final. Rachin Ravindra's stellar bowling figures of 4/11 played a crucial role in restricting the Unicorns to 145 runs.

Travis Head (77* off 44) and Glenn Maxwell (54* off 23) remained unbeaten, guiding Washington to chase down the target in just 16 overs. Despite an early breakthrough from Pat Cummins, who dismissed Steve Smith and bowled a maiden over, the Unicorns couldn't maintain the momentum as Carmi le Roux and Haris Rauf failed to contain Head's explosive batting.

The San Francisco Unicorns had a dismal start, losing four wickets before reaching the 50-run mark. Marco Jansen and Saurabh Netravalkar provided early breakthroughs, supported by Ravindra's critical wicket of Sanjay Krishnamurthi. Despite a half-century from Hassan Khan, the Unicorns managed only 145 runs. Washington's comprehensive win places them in the MLC final, while the Unicorns will compete against Texas Super Kings for a spot in the summit clash.

(With inputs from agencies.)