MI New York had one of the most amazing comebacks in franchise T20 history. After losing six of their first seven games this season. They won the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) title with a five-run win over reigning champions Washington Freedom at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Freedom was chasing 181 and required 12 runs from the last over. Which was bowled by Rushil Ugarkar, 22, with captain Glenn Maxwell and a composed Glenn Phillips at the crease. After Maxwell hit a single off the first ball, Phillips hit another one. Then Maxwell missed the third ball with a strong swipe. Maxwell tried to slog over midwicket with 10 needed off 3. But mistimed the ball high over long-on, where Michael Bracewell caught it. Freedom needed 10 runs off the last ball as new hitter Obus Pienaar swung and did not work at the fifth delivery, finally capping MINY’s incredible comeback.
Freedom’s run-chase got off to a terrible start. When they lost Mitchell Owen and Andries Gous to Trent Boult in the first over and were struggling at 0 for 2 before Rachin Ravindra and Jack Edwards’ 84-run partnership steadied the innings. With 70 off 41 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes, Ravindra led the way, while Edwards added 33 off 22. In the ninth over, Edwards was caught at long-on by Nosthush Kenjige, ending the partnership.
MI New York
Ravindra and Glenn Phillips (48 not out) added 46 more runs. But MINY took back control as Ravindra was dismissed by Rushil Ugarkar in the 16th over. After slicing a wide slower ball to extra cover. Boult let up just 12 runs in the 19th over. Leaving 12 needed from the final over, in which a composed Ugarkar easily defended the runs. Phillips kept Washington in the chase with two sixes off Tristan Luus in the 18th over.
Earlier in the day, Quinton de Kock formed a 72-run opening partnership with Monank Patel, who hit 28 off 22 balls before mistiming a Lockie Ferguson delivery to cover. Kock top-scored with a fluid 46-ball 77 that included six fours and four sixes. Nicholas Pooran, who combined 56 runs for the fourth wicket with de Kock to steady the ship. After Tajinder Dhillon was dismissed by Ian Holland in the tenth over, was out. That stand was broken by Saurabh Netravalkar. Who deftly bowled an off-pace delivery wide outside off, forcing Pooran to slice his shot to cover.
Ferguson was the most impressive bowler for the Washington Freedom, taking 3 for 24 in his second session. Which included an in-form Kieron Pollard and a well-set de Kock in the same over. Despite being costly with the ball, Maxwell helped MINY lose five wickets for eighteen runs by taking out Michael Bracewell. Pooran’s team posted a score that looked to be just about par for the surface and was ultimately sufficient thanks to Kunwarjeet Singh’s 22 not out off 13 balls in the final few overs.
Brief Scores:
Washington Freedom 175/5 in 20 overs (Rachin Ravindra 70; Trent Boult 2-32, Rushil Ugarkar 2-32) lost to MI New York 180/7 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 77; Lockie Ferguson 3-21) by 5 runs.
