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Washington Freedom Demolish Seattle Orcas to Climb Second on MLC Points Table
Freedom’s All-Round Dominance Shines in Crushing 8-Wicket Victory
Washington Freedom put up a commanding performance to thrash the Seattle Orcas by 8 wickets in a lopsided contest at the MLC 2025. With this emphatic win, Freedom surged to the second position in the points table, leapfrogging the Texas Super Kings, who also suffered a loss earlier in the day.
Led by Glenn Maxwell, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Jack Edwards — each picking three wickets apiece — Freedom dismantled the Orcas’ batting line-up for a paltry 82. Their batters then chased down the target in just 9.2 overs, handing the Orcas one of their most crushing defeats in Major League Cricket (MLC) history.
Seattle Orcas Crumble After Netravalkar’s First-Ball Strike
Top-Order Carnage Within First Six Overs
Seattle Orcas entered the game riding on the confidence of recent victories — notably powered by Shimron Hetmyer’s form — but their momentum was shattered instantly. Saurabh Netravalkar struck with the very first delivery of the match, triggering a collapse that the Orcas never recovered from.
The first six overs were a nightmare for Seattle, as they slipped to 19/5, with Maxwell and Netravalkar exploiting the conditions brilliantly. Maxwell, in particular, was unplayable, ending with figures of 3/12, including the prized wicket of Hetmyer, who was dismissed for just 5 runs in the ninth over by Jack Edwards.
Klaasen Fights Alone Amidst Wreckage
Edwards Completes the Cleanup Act
Heinrich Klaasen, as the lone warrior, tried to stabilize the innings with a gritty 48 off 39 balls, but lacked support from the other end. No other batter could even cross 10 runs, and Seattle were bowled out in 17.4 overs for just 82 — their third-lowest score in MLC history.
Jack Edwards, who bowled tight lines throughout, returned with impressive figures of 3/19, complementing the damage done by Maxwell and Netravalkar.
🔗 Related: Saurabh Netravalkar’s Best Bowling Spells in MLC 2025
Freedom’s Aggressive Chase Leaves No Doubt
Rachin Ravindra and Mukhtar Ahmed Dominate Orcas’ Bowlers
Rachin Ravindra took the attack to the Orcas from the get-go. Smashing the likes of Gerald Coetzee, Harmeet Singh, and Sikandar Raza inside the first three overs, he helped Freedom race to 50/1 by the end of the Powerplay. Ravindra was dropped twice — by Aaron Jones at cover and by Raza off his own bowling — giving him lifelines that proved costly.
Ravindra’s breezy 32 off 18 balls and Mukhtar Ahmed’s unbeaten 36 ensured that Freedom chased the target with 10.4 overs to spare, boosting their net run rate significantly and asserting their dominance heading into the playoffs.
A Quick Wrap-Up
Even though Ravindra fell in the ninth over, Freedom needed just seven more deliveries to wrap up the chase. The eight-wicket win was not only clinical but symbolic of the team’s rising confidence and cohesion.
Match Summary and Scorecard
Seattle Orcas: 82 all out in 17.4 overs
(Heinrich Klaasen 48; Glenn Maxwell 3-12, Saurabh Netravalkar 3-13, Jack Edwards 3-19)
Washington Freedom: 86/2 in 9.2 overs
(Mukhtar Ahmed 36*, Rachin Ravindra 32; Jessy Singh 1-12, Sikandar Raza 1-18)
Result: Washington Freedom won by 8 wickets
Full Match Report on ESPNcricinfo
