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The final of the second edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) will be contested between Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns on Monday, July 29. They have been the two most consistent teams in the competition with five wins from seven games in the group stage.
The Washington Freedom have been heavily reliant on Travis Head, their leading run scorer with 327 runs in eight games. Steve Smith, Rachin Ravindra, and Glenn Maxwell form the core of the middle order. Each of these players has the ability to single-handedly win a game for their team.
The bowling group, led by a reliable Saurabh Netravalkar, has been exceptional this season. Lockie Ferguson and Marco Jansen complete the fast bowling unit for Freedom. Spinners Glenn Maxwell and Rachin Ravindra did a remarkable job in the previous game against the Unicorns and will look to continue their good work.
The San Francisco Unicorns suffered a heavy defeat against the same opposition in the qualifier but made a solid comeback in the challenger against the Texas Super Kings. Finn Allen and Jake Fraser-McGurk at the top of the order pose a massive threat to any opposition.
Players like Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Sherfane Rutherford and Hassan Khan will have to rise to the occasion in the final. The Pakistan-born Hassan has been the player to watch out for in the tournament so far. He has lent the ideal balance with his all-round exploits, shining in their challenger against TSK.
# 1. Overall performance
It's difficult to choose between the two sides when it comes to overall performances in the competition. Both teams won five out of their seven games in the group stage while one match was abandoned due to rain. Some big names in both squads make this an even contest with no team standing as the clear favourites.
Led by Corey Anderson, the San Francisco Unicorns have played an impressive brand of cricket. Washington Freedom suffered their only group-stage defeat at the hands of the Unicorns, but got their revenge in the qualifier, securing a comprehensive seven-wicket win.
Given the recent win, Washington should be in an advantageous position.
Advantage: Washington Freedom
# 2. Head to head
Washington Freedom have a slender edge over the San Francisco Unicorns in the head-to-head department. While Washington have come out triumphant twice, the Unicorns have won one game against Washington Freedom.
When the two teams clashed in 2023, Washington Freedom defended a score of 133 on the back of a once-in-a-lifetime bowling performance from Saurabh Netravalkar. He bagged six wickets to skittle out the Unicorns for just 103 runs.
In the group game in the 2024 edition, the Unicorns registered a convincing six-wicket win. Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Josh Inglis batted brilliantly and played an instrumental role in chasing down the target of 175 quite comfortably in the end.
On the virtue of qualifying in the top two, Washington and San Francisco squared off against each other in the qualifier, which was won convincingly by Washington Freedom. SFU were bowled out for 145 courtesy of a brilliant bowling performance.
Travis Head blazed his way to an unbeaten 44-ball 77 and took his side home with 27 deliveries to spare. Given the 2-1 advantage over SFU, the psychological edge will be with the Washington Freedom. They won the previous game and will be confident about going all the way in the final.
Advantage: Washington Freedom
# 3. The experience factor
In knockout games, it's not always about your talent and what you can bring to the table. It's about whether you have done it before and have the experience of dealing with pressure situations.
When it comes to experience and ability to perform in crunch games, Washington Freedom will certainly be ahead in the race. Travis Head and Steve Smith form an incredible opening pair, complimenting each other perfectly. They also have plenty of experience of performing at the highest level and in big games.
The likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Maxwell, Marco Jansen, Akeal Hosein, and Saurabh Netravalkar all have the experience of playing in big games. Be it bowling or batting, the experience factor will certainly give a clear edge to the Washington Freedom.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Unicorns do have some genuine match winners, but lack experience. Corey Anderson has led the side very well in the presence of Pat Cummins, who is proven captaincy material.
Advantage: Washington Freedom
We should be in for a treat in the MLC final tomorrow. While all the factors suggest that Washington Freedom have a clear edge over the San Francisco Unicorns, cricket is not played on paper.
Favourites: Washington Freedom
