Washington Freedom maintained their winning streak to stay on top of the 2024 Major League Cricket points table with a comfortable 42-run win over the Texas Super Kings. (More Cricket News)
The Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas witnessed a dominant performance with bat and then ball, as Rachin Ravindra’s four wickets bowled out the Texan team for 164 runs. However, led by Faf du Plessis’ quickfire half-century – the fastest by a batter this season -- the Texas Super Kings had a strong start to their run-chase.
Du Plessis propelled his team to 76 runs in the powerplay. However, Washington's bowlers executed a brilliant comeback in the middle overs. Jasdeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, and Ravindra shared the 10 wickets among them, but it was Lockie Ferguson's crucial over to Du Plessis after the powerplay that turned the tide. Lockie conceded only 2 wides in that over, eventually leading to Faf's dismissal.
Soon after, the Super Kings' batting lineup crumbled, losing 4 wickets for just 15 runs between overs 7.1 and 11.6, ultimately costing them the match. While Calvin Savage managed to strike a few powerful blows towards the end, it only served to narrow the margin of defeat.
Earlier in the clash, Washington Freedom posted a formidable target of 206 for the Texas Super Kings. The fireworks began early with Travis Head delivering a scintillating performance in the powerplay. He hammered 53 runs off just 22 balls, dismantling the seamers with ease and giving Washington a flying start.
As spin was introduced, the scoring rate slowed slightly, thanks to some purchase on the used pitch. However, Maxwell played a pivotal role in maintaining the momentum, contributing crucial runs in the middle overs. Towards the tail end of the innings, Pienaar provided a valuable boost, ensuring a strong finish for the team.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith (57) also continued his consistent performances, nearly batting through the entire innings and securing a well-earned fifty. His steady presence at the crease anchored the Washington innings and kept the scoreboard ticking.
The start given by the two Australian batters was more than enough for the middle order of the Washington-based side to take on the rest of the bowlers. Maxwell (34) and Obus Pienaar (33) both scored crucial runs to ensure their team put up a tough target that the Texas Super Kings were eventually unable to chase down.
Brief Scores: Washington Freedom (Steve Smith 57, Travis Head 53, Noor Ahmad 3/38) beat Texas Super Kings (Faf du Plessis 55, Calvin Savage 35, Rachin Ravindra 4/16) by 42 runs
