MLC 2025 Final: MI After a thrilling five-run victory over the Washington Freedom in the championship match, New York emerged victorious as the Major League Cricket 2025 champions. The deal was clinched by teenage Rushil Ugarkar, who held off threatening Glenn Maxwell and Glenn Phillips by defending 12 runs in the final over. In order to complete the task for his squad, the 22-year-old shown exceptional poise by varying his pace wisely and adhering to his plans.
The Freedom needed just 12 in the last over, and Maxwell (15) and Phillips (48*) appeared poised to win the trophy for the second time in a row. The equation was reduced to 10 from 2 after Ugarkar (2-32) bowled a dot ball to Maxwell and then had the Australia power batter caught at deep mid-wicket after giving up just two singles from the opening couple of deliveries.
The MINY players celebrated their second MLC title victory despite Obus Pienaar, the new man in, failing to connect with the first ball and then failing to make a four in the final ball.
The Freedom, led by Maxwell and coached by Ricky Ponting, had dominated the season and, for the most part, controlled the championship game. They chose to bowl first after winning the toss.
MI New York scored a respectable 180 thanks to middle-order contributions from skipper Nicholas Pooran (21 off 16) and Tajinder Singh (14 off 9). Lockie Ferguson of the Washington Freedom spearheaded the bowling attack with a commanding 3-wicket haul. With one wicket apiece, Ian Holland, Jack Edwards, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Glenn Maxwell helped him along.
After losing both openers, Mitchell Owen and Andries Gous, for ducks in the first overs, the Washington Freedom’s chase got off to a terrible start. But Rachin Ravindra steadied the batting with a stunning 70 off 41 balls, keeping the Freedom in the hunt.
Brief scores: MI Washington Freedom 175 for 5 (Ravindra 70, Phillips 48*, Ugarkar 2-32, Boult 2-32) lost to New York 180 for 7 (De Kock 77, Ferguson 3-21) by five runs.
