Table of Contents
In the 26th match of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, Washington Freedom (WAS) continued their dominant run this season as they registered an emphatic win over Seattle Orcas (SEA), backed by some exceptional bowling performances.
Saurabh Netravalkar and Glenn Maxwell rips through in powerplay overs
The clinical bowling performance was led by Saurabh Netravalkar and Glenn Maxwell, who dismantled Seattle’s batting in the powerplay by taking five wickets, setting the tone for a massive win. It all began with Netravalkar striking off the very first ball. Shayan Jahangir attempted an aggressive lofted shot but mistimed it completely, sending a simple catch to Glenn Phillips at mid-on. In next over later, Maxwell joined the party, trapping Aaron Jones lbw with a sharp off-break that clipped the top of leg stump on umpire’s call after a tense DRS review.
Netravalkar then dismissed Sikandar Raza, who went chasing a fuller delivery and only managed to sky it off the bottom of his bat to substitute Matthew Forde at cover. Maxwell struck again when Steven Taylor’s tentative lofted drive resulted in a soft chip to Rachin Ravindra, who took a low diving catch at cover. The carnage ended with Kyle Mayers attempting a sweep off Maxwell, only to top-edge the ball straight to Mitchell Owen at short fine leg. Seattle found themselves reeling at 15 for 5 — undone by Freedom’s ruthless powerplay assault.
Here’s the video:
The have come out in the fiercest of fashions, taking FIVE wickets in the ! What a performance this is and on Independence Day no less! 🦅🇺🇸
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket)
Also READ: San Francisco Unicorns sneak past Texas Super Kings by 1 run at Lauderhill | MLC 2025
Washington Freedom crush Seattle Orcas to claim the second spot
The defending champions have climbed to second position on the points table after a dominant win, significantly boosting their chances of a top-two finish. After winning the toss, Washington chose to bowl first—and it turned out to be a dream start. They claimed five wickets in the powerplay itself, and the bowlers never allowed Seattle to recover, bowling them out for just 82 runs in 17.4 overs. Heinrich Klaasen fought a lone battle with a gritty 48, the only batter to reach double digits for Seattle.
In reply, the chase was a cakewalk for Washington, as they reached the target in just 9.2 overs. Seattle never looked in contention during this crucial clash. The heavy defeat not only hurt their confidence but also dealt a serious blow to their net run rate. While they remain in the playoff race, their fate no longer lies entirely in their hands. With just one match left—against Texas—they must now win and hope for favorable results in other fixtures to stay alive in the competition.
Also WATCH: Trent Boult floors LA Knight Riders with a sensational opening spell for MI New York
