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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
MLC 2025: Washington Freedom history, top performers, schedule, squad
Washington Freedom won the second edition of the MLC in 2024 MLC 2025: From semi-final heartbreak in their debut season to championship glory in the second, Washington Freedom has fast become one of the most compelling teams in Major League Cricket (MLC). With a balanced mix of seasoned internationals and domestic performers, the franchise now sets its sights on defending their crown in MLC 2025. Under the guidance of Ricky Ponting and the leadership of Steven Smith , Freedom will begin their campaign on 13 June against San Francisco Unicorns. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Team Performance in 2023 In the inaugural edition of MLC, Washington Freedom finished third on the points table with three wins in five matches, securing a place in the playoffs. However, their run was cut short in the eliminator by MI New York. Matt Short was their top scorer with 152 runs, while Saurabh Netravalkar impressed with 10 wickets, leading their bowling attack. Team Performance in 2024 Freedom went one step further and beyond in MLC 2024, lifting their maiden title with a commanding 96-run win over San Francisco Unicorns in the final. Travis Head was named Player of the Tournament, scoring 336 runs in 9 innings—second only in the overall charts. Steven Smith, their captain, also scored 336 runs at an average of 56.00, including a match-winning knock in the final that earned him Man of the Match. Saurabh Netravalkar continued his dominance, picking up 15 wickets, and Rachin Ravindra added 12 wickets, offering spin support and all-round value. Squad in 2025 Steven Smith (captain), Mukhtar Ahmed, Mark Chapman, Glenn Maxwell, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Jack Edwards, Ian Holland, Justin Dill, Mitchell Owen, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson, Jason Behrendorff, Ben Sears, Abhishek Paradkar, Amila Aponso, Yasir Mohammad, Andries Gous, Lahiru Milantha Head Coach: Ricky Ponting Assistant Coach: James Hopes Captain: Steve Smith Bombay Sport Exchange Episode 1: Interview with Sanjog Gupta, CEO (Sports) at JioStar Washington Freedom Fixtures 1) San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom: June 13 at 6.30 AM IST 2) Seattle Orcas vs Washington Freedom: June 15 at 6.30 AM IST 3) Washington Freedom vs LA Knight Riders: June 18 at 6.30 AM IST 4) MI New York vs Washington Freedom: June 22 at 5.30 AM IST 5) Washington Freedom vs Texas Super Kings: June 23 at 5.30 AM IST 6) LA Knight Riders vs Washington Freedom: June 27 at 5.30 AM IST 7) Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns: June 29 at 1.30 AM IST 8) Texas Super Kings vs Washington Freedom: July 3 at 4.30 AM IST 9) Washington Freedom vs Seattle Orcas: July 6 at 4.30 AM IST 10) Washington Freedom vs MI New York: July 7 at 12.30 AM IST
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Major League Cricket: How Washington Freedom fared in the first two seasons
Washington Freedom Season 1 Recap (2023) Washington Freedom had a promising debut season in the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023, finishing third on the points table with three wins in five matches. They secured a place in the playoffs. However, their campaign ended in the eliminator, where they lost to MI New York. Matt Short was the standout performer with the bat, finishing as Freedom's leading run-scorer with 152 runs. On the bowling front, Saurabh Netravalkar led the attack with 10 wickets, emerging as the team's most successful bowler. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Season 2 Glory (2024) The second season saw a complete turnaround. Washington Freedom went on to clinch their maiden MLC title, defeating San Francisco Unicorns comprehensively in the final by a massive margin of 96 runs. Ajinkya Rahane reflects on KKR's inconsistent IPL 2025, backs under-fire Venkatesh Iyer The triumph was led by a formidable performance from Travis Head, who was named Player of the Tournament. Head amassed 336 runs in 9 innings and finished as the second-highest run-getter in the tournament overall. Skipper Steven Smith was equally pivotal, scoring 336 runs at an impressive average of 56.00, and was named Man of the Match in the final. In the bowling department, Saurabh Netravalkar once again delivered, picking up 15 wickets and continuing to be a key figure in their setup. Rachin Ravindra also made a significant impact with the ball, claiming 12 wickets in the season. Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Despite their success, Washington Freedom face a few setbacks heading into the 2025 season. Travis Head is set to skip the tournament owing to his self-imposed cap of participating in only two franchise leagues per year while he remains an active Test cricketer. Additionally, Australia's scheduled Test series in the West Indies will also rule out Pat Cummins, who is contracted with the San Francisco Unicorns. Freedom, however, has managed to retain its captain Steven Smith, although his full availability remains uncertain due to Australia's red-ball commitments. The franchise has retained the highest number of both domestic and international players among all MLC teams. Key overseas stars like Glenn Maxwell, Jack Edwards (Australia), and Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand) are all set to return for the title defence. On the other hand, the team has released Akeal Hosein, Andrew Tye, and Travis Head ahead of the new season. With a strong core and solid retention strategy, Washington Freedom will be aiming to overcome personnel challenges and continue their winning momentum in the 2025 season. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
MLC 2024 Bowling stats recap: Saurabh Netravalkar tops wickets in second edition
Saurabh Netravalkar claimed an impressive 15 wickets in the MLC in 2024 (Image via X/@WSHFreedom) While International stars had their fair share of the spotlight in last season's MLC, it was a domestic player that ended up topping the charts among bowlers. While MI New York's Trent Boult topped the wicket charts with 22 wickets in the 2023 edition, the American Saurabh Netravalkar shone among bowlers with an impressive total of 15 last year. His heroics played a huge role in Washington Freedom winning their first-ever MLC crown in 2024. Netravalkar made quite the name for himself with his 15 wickets, besting the other bowlers in contention by a three-wicket margin. Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand, playing alongside Netravalkar also claimed an impressive 12 wickets in 7 matches. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Additionally, Washington Freedom bowlers dominated the rankings among bowlers, with three in the top five and five in the top ten. Bombay Sport Exchange Ep 5: Shane Watson on how IPL gave him a lifeline & his tribute to Phil Hughes A number of notable spells headlined the 2024 season for bowlers. In particular, Rachin Ravindra's 4 for 11 against the San Francisco Unicorns and his 4/16 against the Texas Super Kings were some of the very best the tournament had on display. Additionally, Mohammad Mohsin's 4 for 13 against the San Francisco Unicorns also deserves mention. Poll Which bowling spell in MLC 2024 impressed you the most? Rachin Ravindra's 4/11 Mohammad Mohsin's 4/13 Trent Boult's overall wickets Saurabh Netravalkar's 15 wickets In terms of economy figures, Rachin Ravindra's 4.81 takes top spot. He is the only bowler in the league to concede under five runs per over. As the 2025 edition of the MLC prepares to get underway on 13th June, teams will look to bolster their bowling line-up. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
