MINY VS WAF MATCH 14

Right then, With this emphatic victory, Washington Freedom cements it's position as a formidable team in the tournament, while MI New York will need to regroup quickly to stay in contention. The next match in the League is between Seattle Orcas vs Los Angeles Knight Riders at 12.30 am IST (7 am GMT) on the 18th of July, but you can join us early as we bring you the pre-match excitement. Till then, have a good day.

Steven Smith, the skipper of Washington Freedom, says that Head got to a good start and Gous played well in the middle overs while Rachin finished with a flurry. Adds that it was a good total on this wicket and Jessy was fantastic with the ball. Tells that Jansen bowls his best when he is charging in and he set the tone with early wickets. Mentions that the first job of qualifying to the playoffs it done and says winning is a habit and they want to continue to to enjoy their cricket.

Kieron Pollard, the MI New York captain, reflects on the game with mixed feelings. He acknowledges that they were decent with the ball, particularly noting Head's quick start. While they did well in the Powerplay, they slipped, recovered slightly, but ultimately conceded too many runs. Pollard expresses satisfaction with the bowling department but criticizes their batting performance, especially in the Powerplay, taking responsibility for it himself. He calls it a failure on their part and emphasizes the need for improvement as they are now in must-win territory. Pollard concludes by urging the team to accept any future failures and move on.

Jessy Singh is the Player of the Match for his excellent bowling effort. He says that he was a bit dissappointed when he wasn't picked initially in the league but moved on quickly from that. Adds that he is grateful to be here and just tried to do the basics right. Mentions that he tried to make the batters hit to the longer side and used the bouncers well. Says that he was a bit nervous as he was replacing Saurabh who has been phenomenal this year. Ends by saying that guys like Smith and Ferguson are very welcoming and creates a nice atmosphere around the players and he felt really good.

... TIME FOR THE PRESENTATIONS ...

Rachin Ravindra is up for a quick chat. He says that he was just trying to build up a partnership with Gous. Adds that it was just about taking backing your strengths and putting away the loose balls and he is happy that it worked out. Mentions that it is a different role playing in the middle order but he is enjoying it and he is happy to adapt to the situation according to the needs of the team. Says that the wicket was a bit tricky and their bowlers did extremely well to back up their batting performance. Ends by saying that he knows that they have made it to the playoffs and adds they just want to continue the winning momentum.

Chasing 182 runs, MI New York got off to a disastrous start, losing wickets at regular intervals and failing to build any significant partnerships. Marco Jansen and Jessy Singh wreaked havoc with the new ball, removing four New York batters inside the first four overs. The defending champions collapsed like a house of cards, being skittled for a mere 88 runs in 13.3 overs. The scorecard looked dismal for the Men in Blue and Gold, with only Romario Shepherd (25 off 14) and Trent Boult (16 off 13) managing to reach double figures. Singh was the star with the ball for Washington Freedom, claiming three wickets. Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, and Glenn Maxwell shared two wickets each, while Ian Holland chipped in with one wicket, contributing to New York's downfall.

Earlier, after being invited to bat first, Washington Freedom managed to post a competitive 182/5 in their 20 overs. Steven Smith struggled to make an impact, scoring just 8 off 10 balls before falling to Rashid Khan inside the Powerplay. However, Travis Head and Andries Gous anchored the innings with a solid partnership, adding over 70 runs for the second wicket. Head scored a brisk 54 off 33 balls, while Gous contributed 59 off 48 balls. Rachin Ravindra provided a late flourish with a rapid 14-ball 31, helping Freedom cross the 180-run mark. Kieron Pollard and Rashid Khan shared two wickets each for MI New York, while Romario Shepherd picked up a solitary wicket.

That's it! MI New York is bundled out for a paltry 88 runs, and the defending champions find themselves in deep trouble in the MLC 2024. Washington Freedom wins by a massive margin of 94 runs, extending their winning streak to four matches, and becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs this season.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Glenn Maxwell wraps up a comprehensive bowling display! He flights this up, full and on middle, turns in a bit, Ehsan Adil goes down and tries to sweep it away but plays completely down the wrong line as the ball goes through to shatter the stumps. Washington Freedom wins by 94 runs and becomes the first team to qualify for the playoffs.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Glenn Maxwell wraps up a comprehensive bowling display! He flights this up, full and on middle, turns in a bit, Ehsan Adil goes down and tries to sweep it away but plays completely down the wrong line as the ball goes through to shatter the stumps. Washington Freedom wins by 94 runs and becomes the first team to qualify for the playoffs.

Floated, full and on middle, Ehsan Adil turns it to the leg side.

OUT! CAUGHT! Glenn Maxwell gets his first of the night! Tosses the ball up on the off stump line and gets the ball to move away with the arm. Trent Boult goes for a wild swing of the bat and only manages to hit the ball straight up towards Ian Holland at point who takes an easy catch. Also, Ehsan Adil is the last man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Glenn Maxwell gets his first of the night! Tosses the ball up on the off stump line and gets the ball to move away with the arm. Trent Boult goes for a wild swing of the bat and only manages to hit the ball straight up towards Ian Holland at point who takes an easy catch. Also, Ehsan Adil is the last man in.

Just one over for Rachin Ravindra as Glenn Maxwell replaces him.

On the pads, fuller with pace. Trent Boult flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to end the over.

Nails a yorker on the stumps. Nosthush Kenjige flicks it to mid on and runs a quick single. Rachin Ravindra picks the ball up and takes a direct hit at the batter's end. The Third Umpire shows that Trent Boult is safe inside the crease.