Washington Freedom scored 174/3 in 15.3 overs, where as San Francisco Unicorns scored 177/4 in 13.4 overs.
So, finally San Francisco Unicorns beat Washington Freedom by 6 wickets [DLS Method].
In a precursor to their upcoming Qualifier fixture, San Francisco Unicorns and Washington Freedom showcased their batting prowess in a rain-affected hit-a-thon at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Table-toppers Freedom suffered their first defeat of the MLC2024 season despite posting 174 in under 16 overs before rain curtailed their innings.
When play resumed, the Unicorns were set a revised target of 177 in 14 overs.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi smashed an unbeaten 79 off 42 balls, while Josh Inglis (45 off 17) and Hasan Khan (32* off 11) played crucial roles in chasing down the target in 13.4 overs.
For Freedom, the Australian duo of Steve Smith and Travis Head scored quickfire half-centuries in an opening stand of 101 in 9.4 overs.
Smith started aggressively, reaching 44 off 22 in the Power Play before being dismissed by Corey Anderson.
Head then accelerated, hitting three sixes in four balls before being caught at backward point off Anderson.
Andries Gous and Rachin Ravindra kept the scoring rate high, adding 33 runs in the 13th and 14th overs.
However, a miscommunication led to Ravindra’s runout, and rain forced a 90-minute interruption midway through the 16th over.
When play resumed, officials set the Unicorns a target of 177 in 14 overs.
The chase began poorly as Finn Allen was bowled by Akeal Hosein on the first ball.
However, Krishnamurthi responded with a slog-swept six off the second ball he faced, and Jake Fraser-McGurk hit two boundaries in a 15-run first over.
Krishnamurthi, dropped on 13 in the second over, capitalized on his reprieve, hitting Netravalkar for boundaries and reaching 33 off 21 by the end of the sixth over despite losing Fraser-McGurk.
Krishnamurthi reached his half-century off 28 balls.
The game turned in the ninth over when Inglis hit Jack Edwards for three consecutive sixes in a 26-run over, followed by two more sixes off Andrew Tye before being dismissed for a 17-ball 45.
Tye also dismissed Sherfane Rutherford two balls later, leaving Unicorns needing 55 from the final 24 balls.
Krishnamurthi and new batter Hasan Khan scored 22 off Tye’s third over, reducing the target to 22 off 12.
Krishnamurthi hit a six off Netravalkar before Hasan struck three consecutive boundaries, finishing the chase with a series of singles.
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