Credit: MLC
In the eighth game of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, star Australia better Glenn Maxwell stood tall against LA Knight Riders (LAKR) and guided his team Washington Freedom (WF) to a 113-run win. Winning the toss, Washington elected to bat first. With Freedom reeling at a score of 68/4 in 7.2 overs, Maxwell’s responsibility was to stand at the crease and stitch an effective stand with Mark Chapman. Chapman departed after scoring only 17 off 21 but Maxwell decided to take risk and produce attacking strokes from his bat. Standing with Obus Pienaar, he built a 116-run partnership off just 50 balls.
In the 17th over of the game, he smashed LA’s premier bowler Sunil Narine for a maximum and brought his fifty in just 29 balls. He continued his onslaught in the same over against the veteran spinner and went on to hit a couple of sixes from his bat. After reaching his half-century, the 36-year-old became more ferocious as he completed his maiden MLC ton in just 48 balls. On the final ball of the innings, he struck Jason Holder for a maximum and ended Washington’s innings on a high note.
Glenn Maxwell’s innings emboldened WF bowlers
Following Glenn Maxwell’s extraordinary knock, Washington bowlers displayed their domination and bundled out Knight Riders on 95 in 16.3 overs. Within the first powerplay, LA’s top-order batters Alex Hales, Sunil Narine, and Unmukt Chand went back to the pavilion without scoring any runs. Their power hitters Rovman Powell and Andre Russell also scored four runs respectively.
Except for Saif Badar (32 off 31) and skipper Jason Holder (23 off 16), all other mainstay batters departed on single-digit scores. Jack Edwards and Mitchell Owen took three wickets apiece while Saurabh Netravalkar also bagged two wickets. Mark Adair and Ian Holland also got one wicket respectively. In Washington’s colossal win, Maxwell became the Player of the Match (POTM).
