Final-Ball Finish: Washington Freedom Pull Off Highest Chase Without a Half-Century

Washington Freedom pulled off one of the most dramatic wins in Major League Cricket (MLC) history on Wednesday night, chasing down 214 to edge past Los Angeles Knight Riders in a nail-biting, last-ball thriller. The five-wicket victory moved Freedom into second place on the MLC 2025 leaderboard and added yet another epic finish to what’s shaping up to be a memorable season.

Fletcher’s Century Sets the Stage

The match had fireworks from the start. The Knight Riders, desperate to get back into form, opened with their best batting performance of the season. Andre Fletcher returned to the squad with a bang, hammering 104 runs off 60 balls and combining with Unmukt Chand (41 off 30) for a record 130-run opening stand. Contributions from Sherfane Rutherford and Andre Russell pushed LA to a franchise-best 213/4.

It was the first time LAKR crossed the 200-run mark in MLC, a total that seemed more than defendable, especially with their star-studded bowling lineup.

Owen, Maxwell Spark Freedom’s Comeback

Washington Freedom didn’t flinch. Mitchell Owen came out swinging with a 16-ball 43 that included four sixes and helped his side post 73/1 in the power play. With support from Rachin Ravindra and a gritty middle-order effort from Glenn Maxwell (42 off 23), the Freedom kept pace even after losing key wickets.

But just when it seemed the game would slip away, Glenn Phillips (33*) and Obus Pienaar (23*) anchored the innings and brought Freedom to the edge of history.

A Win for the Record Books

The chase was completed on the final ball of the match, marking the highest successful T20 run chase ever without a single player scoring a half-century. Despite LA’s early dominance, dropped catches and crucial extras allowed Washington to slip through in the clutch.

What’s Next?

• Washington Freedom will test their chase game once again as they face the San Francisco Unicorns in a top-of-the-table clash this Saturday.
• LA Knight Riders aim to regroup and reset when they face Seattle Orcas later that evening.

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