In a rain-hit contest, the San Francisco Unicorns defeated Washington Freedom by six wickets (DLS) in the ongoing MLC, handing Washington their first defeat of the tournament. Batting first, Travis Head (56 off 36) and Steve Smith (56 off 31) gave Washington a strong start, but their innings ended at 174/3 in 15.3 overs due to rain. The DLS target was then adjusted to 177 runs in 14 overs for the Unicorns. In response, Unicorns crossed the line with 2 balls to spare, courtesy of Sanjay Krishnamurthi’s (79 off 42) breathtaking knock.
Match Summary
- Toss: Corey Anderson (SFU) won the toss and opted to field.
- Washington Freedom Innings: 174/3 in 15.3 overs
- Steven Smith: 56 (31)
- Travis Head: 56 (36)
- Key Bowler: Corey Anderson (2/20) in two overs
- San Francisco Unicorns Innings: 177/4 in 13.4 overs
- Sanjay Krishnamurthi: 79* (42)
- Josh Inglis: 45 (17)
- Key Bowler: Andrew Tye (3/41) in three overs
Key Moments
Head & Smith’s Rollicking start
The Unicorns’ skipper invited Washington to bat first, and Travis Head and Steve Smith provided a flying start. The dynamic duo scored briskly, adding 101 runs for the opening wicket. Both notched up their fifties, with Smith being the more aggressive of the two, scoring 56 runs each before departing. 
Akeal Hosein’s Solid Start
The left-arm spinner started the proceedings with the new ball for the Freedom and provided a dream start to his team. He clean-bowled the dangerous Finn Allen straightaway on the first ball of the innings, drawing first blood.
Josh Inglis’ Cameo
The wicket-keeper batter came out to bat at number four and went honkers and bonkers from the word go. He hammered Freedom bowlers to all corners of the park, scoring a rapid 45 runs off just 17 balls. His innings included six sixes and a four. Additionally, he completed 3000 runs in T20s in the process.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi’s Carnage
The 21-year-old batter produced a gem of a knock for the Unicorns. Coming out to bat at number three, he went berserk from the outset, smashing Freedom bowlers for fun. The right-hander scored an unbeaten 79 runs off just 42 balls, guiding the Unicorns to a comfortable victory. His stunning innings earned him the Player of the Match award.
Implications and Future Prospects
Both sides altered their playing combinations to test their bench strength in this dead rubber, giving management a clearer picture to fine-tune their combinations for the playoffs. Batters from both teams enjoyed batting on this pitch, while bowling looked mediocre.
Saurabh Netravalkar, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, is back in the mix after paternity leave but failed to impress in this contest. His bowling will be crucial for Washington in the playoffs.
Conversely, the Unicorns’ middle-order batters, who were sluggish in the tournament’s early phase, are peaking at the right moment. The San Francisco-based franchise will look to continue their form in the playoffs.
Upcoming Fixtures
- Qualifier: Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns, July 25 (local time)
Conclusion
Washington Freedom tested their first defeat in this tournament and would look to take learnings from this loss. Both teams finished the league stage with 11 points each, but Washington secured the top spot due to their superior Net Run Rate (+1.891) compared to the Unicorns (+0.588). Overall, both sides had great outings in the league stage fixtures and will aim to carry those positives into the playoffs.
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