Washington Freedom Snatch Last-Ball Win Over Knight Riders, Boost MLC Playoff Bid

In a nail-biting encounter at Dallas, Washington Freedom pulled off a remarkable five-wicket victory against LA Knight Riders, successfully chasing down a target of 214 on the very last ball. This win significantly enhances their chances of qualifying for the MLC 2025 playoffs.

The victory was orchestrated by Glenn Phillips and Obus Pienaar, who demonstrated composure under pressure. A dropped catch by Jason Holder at mid-on off the final delivery proved decisive, denying the Knight Riders a hard-fought win.

Earlier in the match, the LA Knight Riders posted a formidable score of 213/4 in their allotted 20 overs, primarily due to an explosive century by Andre Fletcher.

Fletcher, replacing Alex Hales in the lineup, smashed 104 runs off just 60 deliveries, which included seven boundaries and six towering sixes.

Fletcher found a reliable partner in Unmukt Chand, who contributed 41 runs off 30 balls. Together, they forged a formidable opening partnership of 130 runs in just 74 balls.

The Knight Riders' innings maintained momentum with quick-fire contributions from Sherfane Rutherford (20 off 11), Jason Holder (11 off 6), and Andre Russell (30 not out off 13). The team accumulated 59 runs in the final five overs, with Fletcher being tactically retired out with two overs remaining.

Freedom's chase began explosively, spearheaded by Mitchell Owen. Owen blazed his way to 43 runs off a mere 16 balls, dispatching Ali Khan and Holder for multiple boundaries and propelling the team to 73/1 in the powerplay.

During the middle overs, Glenn Maxwell (42 off 23) and Andreas Gous kept Freedom ahead of the required run rate. However, the Knight Riders fought back, with Holder and Tanveer Sangha claiming crucial wickets to apply pressure on the batting side.

Phillips and Pienaar then joined forces when Freedom required 60 runs from the final six overs. The pair skillfully managed the chase, taking calculated risks and maintaining the required scoring rate.

The match reached its climax in the final over, with Freedom needing seven runs for victory. Despite conceding a wide and a boundary early in the over, Russell bowled exceptionally well, taking the game to the very last ball.

In a dramatic conclusion, Holder couldn't latch onto a catch at mid-on off the final delivery, allowing Phillips and Pienaar to scamper through for the winning run.

This victory propelled Freedom to second place in the standings, overtaking Texas Super Kings.

Brief Scores:

LA Knight Riders 213/4 in 20 overs (Andre Fletcher 104, Unmukt Chand 41; Ian Holland 2-25) lost to Washington Freedom 214/5 in 20 overs (Mitchell Owen 43, Glenn Maxwell 42, Glenn Phillips 33*; Tanveer Sangha 2-35) by 5 wickets.