Washington Freedom Snatch Last-Ball Win Over Knight Riders in MLC Thriller; Playoff Hopes Soar

Washington Freedom pulled off a sensational five-wicket victory against LA Knight Riders in a high-scoring match in Dallas. The Freedom successfully chased down a target of 214 on the very last ball, significantly boosting their chances of qualifying for the MLC 2025 playoffs.

The dramatic victory was orchestrated by Glenn Phillips and Obus Pienaar, who kept their cool under pressure. A dropped catch by Holder off the final delivery proved to be the turning point, denying Knight Riders a crucial win.

Earlier in the day, Andre Fletcher had starred for the Knight Riders, smashing a brilliant century to propel his team to a formidable total of 213/4. Fletcher, replacing Alex Hales in the lineup, hammered 104 runs off just 60 deliveries, including seven boundaries and six towering sixes.

Fletcher forged a dominant opening partnership with Unmukt Chand, who scored 41 runs from 30 balls. The pair put on a remarkable 130 runs in only 74 balls, laying a solid foundation for the Knight Riders' innings.

The momentum was maintained through quick-fire cameos from Sherfane Rutherford (20 off 11), Jason Holder (11 off 6), and Andre Russell (30 not out off 13). The Knight Riders plundered 59 runs in the final five overs. In a tactical move, Fletcher was retired out with two overs remaining.

Freedom's reply was ignited by Mitchell Owen, who blazed his way to 43 runs off a mere 16 balls. His aggressive approach, including multiple boundaries off Ali Khan and Holder, helped the team reach 73/1 during the powerplay.

Glenn Maxwell (42 off 23) and Andreas Gous continued to push the scoring rate through the middle overs, keeping Freedom ahead. However, the Knight Riders fought back, with Holder and Tanveer Sangha picking up vital wickets to put the pressure back on the batting side.

Phillips and Pienaar then joined forces, with Freedom needing 60 runs from the final six overs. Together, they managed the chase with a mix of calculated aggression and intelligent running between the wickets.

The final over, bowled by Russell, was a nail-biter. Despite conceding a wide and a boundary early on, Russell bowled with great skill, taking the game to the very last ball.

In the end, Holder's unfortunate drop at mid-on sealed the victory for Washington Freedom. Phillips and Pienaar scrambled through for the winning run, sparking celebrations in the Freedom camp.

This victory propels Washington Freedom to second place in the MLC standings, leapfrogging 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