Owen, Gous guide Washington Freedom to fourth successive win in MLC 2025

Washington Freedom scripted history after completing a Major League Cricket (MLC) record chase against the Texas Super Kings at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Sunday.

Mitchell Owen (89) and Andries Gous (80*) slammed majestic fifties as the reigning champions hunted down Texas Super Kings’ 220/6 in 19.4 overs to record their fourth consecutive win in the ongoing MLC 2025 season.

Earlier, Owen finished with figures of 3/33, while captain Glenn Maxwell bagged two scalps as Super Kings posted 220/6 in their 20 overs.

With the record-breaking chase, we have leapfrogged to second in the MLC 2025 standings with eight points from five games.

Electing to field first, Owen broke a 55-run opening partnership to dismiss TSK’s wicketkeeper-batter Smit Patel with the help of a brilliant catch by Obus Pienaar in the fifth over.

Skipper Faf du Plessis and Saiteja Mukkamalla then stitched a 27-run stand for the Super Kings. Later, in the eighth over, all-rounder Rachin Ravindra made an instant impact as he cleaned up Mukkamalla to provide us with our second breakthrough.

Our bowlers continued to chip away with crucial wickets as Owen bagged the huge scalp of du Plessis to reduce the Super Kings to 117/3 in the 11th over.

Following du Plessis’ dismissal, Marcus Stoinis and Milind Kumar added 42 runs for the fourth wicket to steady their ship.

Captain Glenn Maxwell later led from the front as he removed Stoinis in the 16th over.

Owen continued his superb spell as he got the better of Donovan Ferreira, courtesy of an excellent catch by Mukhtar Ahmed at long-off.

Maxwell then claimed his second wicket of the game as he dismissed Milind Kumar in the 18th over.

Despite best efforts from our bowlers, unbeaten cameos from Shubham Ranjane and Calvin Savage powered the Super Kings to 220/6 in their allotted overs.

Owen was our wrecker-in-chief with figures of 3/33 in his three overs.

Chasing a huge target, Owen and Ravindra once again got us off to a great start. Our swashbuckling opening pair forged a 38-run stand before Ravindra fell in the fifth over.

Batting at No.3, wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous slammed a couple of boundaries as we raced to 53/1 at the end of the powerplay.

At the other end, Owen continued his scintillating form as he clobbered Stoinis for back-to-back maximums to notch up his fifty off 35 balls in the ninth over. The pair kept us in the hunt as we reached hundred in 10.1 overs.

Later, in the 12th over, Gous and Owen hammered Noor Ahmad for two fours and two sixes to accumulate 22 runs.

Our hard-hitting duo continued the onslaught and smashed Donovan Ferreira for 24 runs, including three maximums and a four in the following over.

Gous then brought up a 27-ball half-century in his 100th T20 game, laced with three fours and three sixes.

However, we soon suffered a huge blow as Owen departed for 89 off just 52 balls in the 15th over. Owen’s outstanding knock included eight fours and five maximums.

Despite losing Owen, Gous put the pressure back on the TSK bowlers as he smacked Ferreira for 16 runs to record his highest score in MLC.

With 40 runs needed in the final four overs, captain Maxwell produced a match-winning cameo of a 12-ball 20, while Gous (80 not out) and Glenn Phillips (12 not out) showcased their maturity to guide us to a seven-wicket win.

Owen was later adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round performance at the Grand Prairie Stadium.

After registering our fourth consecutive victory, we will aim to continue the winning momentum against the Los Angeles Knight Riders in Dallas on Thursday.

Washington Freedom vs Texas Super Kings, MLC 2025, brief scores: TSK 220/6 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 69, Marcus Stoinis 32; Mitchell Owen 3/33) lost to WF 223/3 in 19.4 overs (Mitchell Owen 89, Andries Gous 80 not out; Adam Milne 3/42) by 7 wickets.