MI New York clinch thriller to secure their second MLC title
After losing six of their first seven games this season, MI New York pulled off one of the most remarkable turnarounds in franchise T20 history, clinching the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) title with a five-run win over defending champions Washington Freedom at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Put into bat first, MI New York started strong scoring 72 runs off the first 7 overs. MINY wicket-keeper and opener Quinton de Kock amassed 77 runs off 46 balls while his partner Monank Patel scored 28 runs off 22 balls.
With the fall of the first wicket, the team witnessed a fall in momentum. Wickets kept falling and run scoring dried up. The 2023 MLC champions saw late burst with amazing cameos from skipper Nicholas Pooran who made 21 runs off 17 balls and Kunwarjeet Singh getting 22 runs off 13 balls. Overall, the team made 180 runs for the fall of 7 wickets in their total quota of 20 overs.
Chasing 181 runs, Washington Freedom had a disastrous start. The Glenn Maxwell-led team lost two wickets for 0 runs in the first over bowled by Trent Boult. Then started the rebuilding phase. Freedom played positive cricket, counter-attacking MI New York bowlers, putting 66 runs for the loss of just two wickets in the powerplay phase.
However, things took a turn when Freedom lost their man-in-form Rachin Ravindra with the scoreboard reading 130/4 in 15.2 overs. With the batting powerplay in effect, MI New York pulled back things in spectacular fashion. The team decided to take the pace off the ball. This strategy helped the MINY team to restrict the flow of runs.
With the final over approaching, Freedom needed 12 runs, bowled by 22-year-old Rushil Ugarkar, with a well-set Glenn Phillips and captain Glenn Maxwell at the crease.
Maxwell took a single off the first ball, Phillips followed with another single before Maxwell had a big swipe at the third ball and missed. With 10 required off 3, Maxwell attempted a slog over midwicket but mistimed the ball high towards long-on, where Michael Bracewell took the catch. Obus Pienaar, the new batter, swung and missed at the fifth delivery, which left Freedom needing 10 off the final ball and effectively sealed the dream turnaround for MINY.
MI New York had a disastrous group stage campaign, winning just 3 out of the total 10 league games. The team defeated San Francisco Unicorns in the Eliminator, winning the match by 2 wickets. Whilst the team thrashed Texas Super Kings by 7 wickets in the second Qualifier of MLC 2025.