Five-overs-a-sideThe race for the top-two spots in MLC 2025 took another twist after Texas Super Kings comfortably beat Washington Freedom on Wednesday evening in a rain-curtailed, five-overs-a-side encounter in Lauderhill.The 43-run win for TSK saw them move up to No. 2 on the points table, while Freedom dropped to third after eight games apiece. They both have 12 points, alongside San Francisco Unicorns, who are first by virtue of a better net run-rate.It was Freedom who won the toss and opted to field, and when Marcus Stoinis (2) fell cheaply and Daryl Mitchell (6) retired out, it seemed like the right call.
But No. 3 Shubham Ranjane and No. 4 Donovan Ferreira bashed 53 runs in just 12 balls in an unbroken third-wicket partnership to lift TSK to 87 in five overs. Ranjane top-scored with 39 in 14 balls and Ferreira hit a nine-ball 37.The Freedom top order, stacked with big-hitting internationals, was wrecked by Nandre Burger early as he dismissed Rachin Ravindra (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) off the last two balls of the first over.Akeal Hosein then picked off Mitchell Owen in the second over. Glenn Phillips did contribute with 18 in 11 balls and stayed unbeaten at the end, but Freedom could not find enough boundaries to make the chase a contest.Overall, Freedom hit three fours and three sixes in comparison to TSK’s four fours and eight sixes. All of TSK’s boundaries were struck by Ranjane and Ferreira.
