Washington Freedom Snatch Last-Ball Victory Over Knight Riders, Bolstering MLC Playoff Bid

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

The victory was orchestrated by Glenn Phillips and Obus Pienaar, who displayed remarkable composure under pressure. A dropped catch by Jason Holder at mid-on off the final delivery proved decisive, turning what would have been a Knight Riders' win into a Freedom triumph.

Earlier in the match, the Knight Riders posted a formidable total of 213/4. Andre Fletcher starred with a scintillating century, scoring 104 runs off 60 deliveries, including seven fours and six sixes. Fletcher replaced Alex Hales in the lineup and immediately made his mark.

Fletcher and Unmukt Chand forged a dominant opening partnership, adding 130 runs in just 74 balls. Chand contributed a valuable 41 off 30 deliveries.

The Knight Riders' innings maintained momentum, with quick cameos from Sherfane Rutherford (20 off 11), Jason Holder (11 off 6), and Andre Russell (30 not out off 13). The team amassed 59 runs in the final five overs. With two overs remaining, Fletcher was strategically retired out.

In response, Washington Freedom launched their chase with Mitchell Owen leading the charge. Owen smashed 43 runs off just 16 balls, hitting multiple boundaries off Ali Khan and Holder. His explosive start helped the team reach 73/1 in the powerplay.

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

With 60 runs needed from the final six overs, Phillips and Pienaar combined effectively. They took calculated risks and managed to maintain the necessary scoring rate.

The game went down to the wire, with Freedom needing seven runs from the final over. Russell bowled well, but the dropped catch on the last ball sealed the Knight Riders' fate.

This win propels the Washington Freedom to second place in the league standings, surpassing the 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.