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Squad

Batters

Mukhtar

Ahmed

Right-handed top-order batter       

Obus

Pienaar

Right-handed middle-order batter, left-arm spinner

Saad

Ali

Right-handed middle-order batter

Sujith

Gowda

          Right-handed batter             

All Rounders

Akeal

Hosein

All-rounder, left-handed batter and left-arm spin

Justin

Dill

All-rounder, right-handed batter and right-arm medium

Moises

Henriques

All-rounder, right-handed batter and right-arm medium

Marco

Jansen

All-rounder, left-handed batter and left-arm fast

Ben

Dwarshuis

All-rounder, left-handed batter and left-arm fast medium

Glenn

Phillips

Wicketkeeper, right-handed batter and right-arm off-spin

Wicket Keepers

Andries

Gous

Wicketkeeper, right-handed batter

Josh

Philippe

Wicketkeeper, right-handed batter

Bowlers

Anrich

Nortje

Right-arm fast bowler, right-handed batter

Saurabh

Netravalkar

Left-arm medium-fast bowler, right-handed batter

Dane

Piedt

Right-arm off-spinner, right-handed batter

Akhilesh

Bodugum

Right-arm off-spinner, right-handed batter

Adam

Milne

Right-arm fast bowler, right-handed batter

Technical Staff

Ricky

Ponting

Head Coach

Dale

Steyn

Bowling Coach

Michael

Klinger

General Manager

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Mukhtar

Ahmed

A relentless runscorer, Ahmed is an opening batter who has represented Pakistan six times. With three T20 tons already in his back pocket, Ahmed brings plenty of experience and skill to the red, white and blue of Washington Freedom. 

With a high score of 83 for his country, Ahmed is a player of international excellence. Two 50s saw him win both man-of-the-match and player-of-the-series awards in his first three matches for Pakistan. 

A consistent performer in the Pakistan Super League, Ahmed has played for both Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings. This time at the top level of Pakistani cricket could be invaluable in the two weeks of Major League Cricket. 

Follow Mukhtar on Twitter

Obus

Pienaar

From the minor to major leagues, Pienaar has lived in the USA since 2021 and understands cricket in the country. Not to mention, he also holds the record for the fastest hundred in Minor League Cricket history, just 37 balls! Pienaar has played two seasons of Minor League Cricket scoring 887 runs and taking 28 wickets. 

Hailing from South Africa, Pienaar is a lover of all sports. Through his academy coaching experiences, Pienaar is a leader on and off the field. Before his move to the US, Pienaar was the leading runscorer in three separate domestic competitions from 2017-2019. If this isn’t consistent, we don’t know what is. 

An adaptable cricketer, his controlled batting style makes Pienaar the perfect anchor for any innings but his destructive power can take any team down. When paired with his accurate spin-bowling, Obus is an excellent addition to our Washington Freedom side. 

Follow Obus on Instagram

Saad

Ali

Our phenomenal Pakistani, Ali made his international debut against Australia in 2019. With over 7000 career runs You can bank on the left-hander adding a few more in capital.

Ali was the leading run-scorer in three domestic competitions between 2017 and 2019. Thanks to his domestic success, Ali was drafted to Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. 

A champion at the crease, Ali has a high score of 232. He is also already accustomed to US cricket, having played one season for the Chicago Tigers in the 2022 Minor League, scoring 405 runs. 

Dealing in boundaries, Ali hit 34 fours and 17 sixes in last year’s Minor League. Expect two weeks of clean striking and big sixes from our middle-order maestro.

Follow Saad on Twitter

Sujith

Gowda

Minor League maestro Gowda scored over 1000 runs in 30 matches for the Dallas Mustangs. Could this translate into match-winning runs for Washington Freedom?

Great at finding the fence, those 1000 runs included exactly 150 boundaries. But Gowda has more to offer than just batting prowess. His right Arm Off Spin took 12 wickets making him a useful option with the ball.

Not just a cricketer, Gowda majored in engineering at the University of Texas. He will be looking to hit fours instead of earning a 4.0 GPA on his return to the state for Major League Cricket.

Follow Sujith on Instagram

Moises

Henriques

‘Mozzie’ is a hugely experienced Australian all-rounder who captains freedom in our first season.

The son of a professional soccer player, he was born on the island of Madeira, and became the first Portuguese born cricketer to represent Australia.

Unusually for an all-rounder, he professes no preference for batting or bowling, although over time he has bowled his fast-medium less frequently, and batted higher up the order. He is known for his adaptability, and has featured for Australia in all formats of the game, in various roles.

Henriques has captained Sydney Sixers to two Big Bash League titles, and played for five teams in the Indian Premier League. He brings presence and a winning mentality to our roster, and away from the pitch he has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness.

Marco

Jansen

The 23-year-old South African bowls left-arm fast, bats aggressively and is one of the most exciting all-rounders in world cricket. He has represented his country in all three formats and is currently playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

Jansen has played three seasons in the IPL, first turning out for Mumbai Indians before signing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. In the latest SA20 competition, he played for Hyderabad’s sister franchise Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

Ben

Dwarshuis

A star from Sydney, Dwarhuis is a talented left-arm pace bowler who has become one of the most sought-after players on the T20 circuit. 

A Sydney Sixers legend, he is their second-highest wicket-taker in history with his performances earning him deals with Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred and the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Last year, he made his debut for Australia against Pakistan and if his form continues, he’ll no doubt be walking out in the green and gold of Australia again soon. 

Not just a one-trick pony, Dwarshuis is also more than handy with the bat and is capable of providing late-order runs and clearing the fence. His highest T20 score is 66 (scored off just 28 balls) which came only two weeks after he claimed his best-ever bowling figures of five wickets for 26 runs. A great couple of weeks for Dwarshuis, could the two weeks of Major League Cricket be even better?

Follow Ben on Instragram

Glenn

Phillips

The 26-year-old Kiwi batter is one of the best all-round talents in world cricket, and is known for his ability to bowl off spin, keep wicket and take spectacular catches in the outfield as well as being able to clear the ropes with ease.

Phillips has represented his country in all three formats and is an extremely experienced T20 player, having participated in a number of the top leagues all around the world. He is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He is the first New Zealand international to be added to the squad and was his country’s star player at the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he scored a breathtaking century against Sri Lanka in a crucial victory.

Josh

Philippe

One of Australia’s brightest talents, Philippe is a wicket-keeper batter who has represented Australia on 13 occasions. Playing with both precision and power, Philippe is capable of scoring all around the ground and his talents saw him picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020.

A stalwart of the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, he was their player of the tournament in their victorious 2019-20 campaign, where his rapid half-century in the final saw him awarded man-of-the-match.

A product of a proud cricketing family, his mum played for Western Australia in the 1980s, whilst his dad represented Western Australia 2XI.

A big game player, Philippe’s highest score in T20 cricket is a tantalising 99 not out that he made against Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash in 2021. With our fingers crossed, here’s to Josh’s maiden T20 ton coming in the red, white and blue of Washington Freedom.

Follow Josh on Instagram

Adam

Milne

A combination of speed, intelligence and a high-level of skill makes Adam Milne one of the most feared fast bowlers in the world.

Although injuries have hampered his early career, the 31-year-old New Zealander joins Freedom at the peak of his powers, with an impressive record at both international and global franchise levels.
Although Milne is not especially tall for a fast bowler (6ft 1in), he bowls regularly in excess of 93mph (150kmh), and extracts sharp bounce which makes him hard to score off, as well as a regular wicket-taker.


He was the outstanding paceman in the 2021 edition of The Hundred, where he represented Birmingham Phoenix, and has played for Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.

Ricky

Ponting

Ricky Ponting, an emblem of Australian cricketing excellence, enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over two decades.

Bursting onto the scene at 20, he evolved into one of the country’s greatest run-makers, accumulating a staggering 27,483 runs and 71 international centuries.

His batting prowess, featuring a majestic cover drive and authoritative pull, solidified his status as one of Australia’s finest.

As captain, Ponting faced triumphs and challenges, securing 48 wins in 77 Tests with a remarkable win percentage, second only to Steve Waugh. Notably, he led Australia to an unparalleled 26 consecutive undefeated 50-over World Cup games, showcasing his leadership brilliance.

Post-retirement, Ponting seamlessly transitioned into coaching. His three-year stint with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL culminated in a title win in 2015, highlighting his ability to guide and inspire teams at the highest level. In 2018, he took charge of the Delhi franchise, further contributing to the nurturing of cricketing talent.

Ricky Ponting’s legacy extends beyond individual brilliance; it embodies leadership acumen, coaching prowess, and a lasting impact on the cricketing landscape.

His journey serves as a testament to unwavering determination, resilience, and commitment to the pursuit of cricketing excellence.

Dale

Steyn

Our bowling coach Dale is widely considered one of the greatest fast bowlers to play the game.

He retired in 2021, having played in over 250 games across all formats for South Africa, as well as the very best franchise teams around the world.

Born in a small town in South Africa, and with Zimbabwean heritage, Dale was obsessed with skateboarding, but broke on to the international scene as a 21-year-old. He stood out initially for his pace, and remained quick throughout his career, but gradually became a master craftsman with the ball, capable of extracting movement left or right through the air, and sharp bouncer for a relatively short bowler.

Dale was known for being one of the fiercest competitors in the game, who loved nothing more than bowling fast and nasty, but is hugely respected for his professionalism and respect for the game.

Now early in his coaching career, he will be vital counsel for our bowlers, and bring an encyclopaedic knowledge of bowling to the world’s best batters.

Michael

Klinger

Our general manager, Michael, has driven the development of our Freedom squad from day one. A top-class batter in his day, he played for Australia as well as in franchise competitions in the IPL and in Bangladesh.

He also has legendary status for his performances for Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Blast T20 competition in England.

He has occupied leadership positions throughout his career, frequently appointed captain, but started his coaching career with Melbourne Renegades after retiring from playing.

He has a Master of Business Degree in Sport Management, and was our representative at the inaugural MLC draft.

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