Record Chase Sends Washington Freedom Past MI New York

By Kartik Sharma | Data Analyst & Reporter

Three centuries in one men's T20 match had never happened before. Washington Freedom made sure the historic batting display ended with an even bigger record, completing the highest successful chase in men's T20 history by defeating MI New York by six wickets in the Major League Cricket 2026 Eliminator at the Oakland Coliseum. The defending champions are out. Freedom move on.

MI New York posted 266/9, powered by Nicholas Pooran's 31-ball century, the fastest in MLC history. Yet Washington Freedom responded with 270/4 in 18.4 overs, thanks to breathtaking centuries from Andries Gous (132 off 51) and *Steven Smith (110 off 48)**. Their 241-run partnership became one of the biggest ever in T20 cricket and sent Freedom into the Challenger. 

Pooran rewrote the MLC record books inside the opening half of the innings. His century arrived from just 31 deliveries, eclipsing the previous tournament benchmark, while Quinton de Kock's 51 and Kieron Pollard's explosive 64 from 25 balls pushed MI New York beyond 200 with seven overs still remaining.

The innings looked destined for an even larger total. At one stage MI New York had raced to 211 after 13 overs, threatening the first 300-run innings in franchise T20 cricket.

Then the momentum changed.

Rachin Ravindra produced perhaps the most valuable bowling spell of the tournament. His left-arm spin removed four wickets while conceding only 29 runs, restricting MI New York to just 33 runs from their final five overs after they appeared capable of adding another 70 or more. That slowdown proved decisive. 

Freedom's chase briefly wobbled before Andries Gous and Steven Smith produced an innings that will be remembered well beyond Major League Cricket.

Gous attacked almost every length, becoming the first American player to score an MLC century, while Smith reached the fastest T20 hundred of his career. Together they added 241 runs in only 89 balls, breaking the domestic/franchise T20 partnership record previously held by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers from the IPL in 2016.

A short comparison shows just how extraordinary the chase became:

Unlike Pooran's assault, Smith mixed placement with power. Gous targeted the shorter boundary relentlessly. Neither allowed MI New York's bowlers to settle. By the time Glenn Maxwell struck the winning runs, Freedom had eight balls remaining.

Three hundreds usually produce debate over the standout performer. The numbers leave little room here.

Pooran's 106 from 33 balls established a tournament record. Smith remained unbeaten on 110. Yet Gous's 132 from just 51 deliveries came during the biggest chase ever completed in the format and earned him the Player of the Match award.

Equally important was Ravindra's contribution. Without his four wickets after the 13th over, MI New York's total may have become unreachable. It echoed previous T20 knockout matches where late overs, rather than Powerplays, decided the outcome.

Washington Freedom now advance to the Challenger, where they will face San Francisco Unicorns for a place in the MLC final. MI New York's title defence ends despite producing one of the greatest batting innings in league history.

The result also changes the historical record books. This surpassed every previous successful men's T20 chase, produced the highest number of sixes in a T20 match and delivered multiple individual milestones in one evening. Few knockout matches have combined individual brilliance with team achievement on this scale.

Freedom now carry enormous batting momentum into the Challenger. Smith has rediscovered his T20 scoring rate, Gous is playing the innings of his career and Ravindra has shown he can alter a match with the ball when totals appear out of reach.

The next challenge is tougher. Another record chase probably isn't required. But after scoring 270 in only 18.4 overs, what number will define Washington Freedom's next knockout performance?