On This Day — Steve Smith Stars as Washington Freedom Clinch MLC 2024 Title with 96-Run Win

He scored the same number of runs as the explosive Travis Head and also led Washington Freedom to the MLC 2024 title. In the final on 28 July 2024, Washington Freedom beat San Francisco Unicorns in a one-sided contest to lift the trophy. It was a perfect match for Smith and his team. His calm captaincy and key performances stood out, making it a memorable season for both him and the Washington Freedom.

Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns: Finals on 28th July 2024

When the Washington Freedom took on the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (MLC) final on July 28, 2024, at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, they delivered a commanding performance. Washington Freedom, opting to bat first after winning the toss, posted a formidable 207/5 in 20 overs, driven by Steven Smith’s 88 and Glenn Maxwell’s 40. The San Francisco Unicorns, chasing 208, crumbled under pressure, collapsing to 111 in 16 overs, handing Washington a 96-run victory.

Washington Freedom Innings

Washington Freedom’s innings began with Travis Head and Steven Smith opening the batting. Head started aggressively, hitting two fours in his 9 off 6 balls, but Pat Cummins struck early, having him caught by Finn Allen in the second over (1.2) at 11/1. Andries Gous joined Smith, and the pair took Washington to 49/2 by the end of the powerplay (6 overs). Gous scored a brisk 21 off 14 balls, including three fours and a six, before Hassan Khan dismissed him, caught by Allen, in the sixth over (5.5). Smith, however, held firm, playing a mix of calculated shots and aggressive strokes to keep the scoreboard moving.

Rachin Ravindra came in at No. 4 but struggled to find rhythm, scoring 11 off 9 balls with one four before Haris Rauf bowled him in the 10th over (10.1), leaving Washington at 86/3. Smith, now settled, reached his fifty off 34 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes. His ability to find gaps and clear the ropes kept the run rate above 8.5. Glenn Maxwell’s arrival at No. 5 shifted the momentum further. Maxwell and Smith added 83 runs for the fourth wicket in just 37 balls, with Maxwell smashing four sixes and one four in his 40 off 22 balls. Smith contributed 88 off 52 balls, including seven fours and six sixes, before Cummins dismissed him in the 17th over (16.3), caught by Josh Inglis, at 169/4.

Maxwell fell soon after, caught by Inglis off Juanoy Drysdale in the 18th over (17.2) for 177/5. Mukhtar Ahmed and Obus Pienaar then took charge, ensuring Washington finished strongly. Mukhtar remained unbeaten on 19 off 9 balls, hitting two fours and a six, while Pienaar scored an unbeaten 13 off 9 balls with one four. Their 30-run stand in the final 2.5 overs pushed Washington to 207/5, with extras adding 6 runs (1 bye, 1 leg bye, 1 no-ball, 3 wides). The team crossed 50 in 6.1 overs, 100 in 11.5 overs, 150 in 14.4 overs, and 200 in 19.2 overs, maintaining a run rate of 10.35.

The Unicorns’ bowlers struggled to contain Washington’s batsmen. Cummins was the pick, taking 2/35, including the wickets of Head and Smith, but his four overs were costly. Hassan Khan (1/42), Haris Rauf (1/41), and Juanoy Drysdale (1/47) each claimed a wicket but leaked runs, with Drysdale’s four overs being the most expensive. Carmi le Roux went wicketless for 40 runs, unable to stem the flow. Washington capitalized on loose deliveries, particularly in the middle overs, where Smith and Maxwell’s 50-run stand in 21 balls for the fourth wicket swung the game. The strategic timeout at 168/3 in the 16th over allowed Washington to plan their final push, with Mukhtar and Pienaar’s late flurry ensuring a daunting total.

Smith’s 88 was the cornerstone, blending anchor play with aggression, while Maxwell’s 40 provided the explosive boost. The Unicorns’ inability to take wickets in clusters or bowl tight lines in the death overs allowed Washington to post a score that put immense pressure on the chase. Key moments included Smith’s fifty, Maxwell’s six-hitting spree, and the late cameo from Mukhtar, which collectively ensured Washington set a target that demanded an extraordinary effort from the Unicorns.

San Francisco Unicorns Innings

Chasing 208, the San Francisco Unicorns needed a solid start but faltered early against Washington Freedom’s disciplined bowling. Openers Finn Allen and Jake Fraser-McGurk began cautiously, but Fraser-McGurk fell for 3 off 6 balls, bowled by Marco Jansen in the third over (2.1) at 15/1. Sanjay Krishnamurthi joined Allen, but he too departed quickly, caught by Travis Head off Saurabh Netravalkar for 13 off 9 balls (three fours) in the fourth over (3.5). Allen followed, bowled by Jansen for 13 off 13 balls (two fours) in the fifth over (4.5), leaving the Unicorns at 30/3.

The powerplay yielded 40 runs but cost three wickets, putting the Unicorns on the back foot. Josh Inglis tried to counterattack, scoring 18 off 11 balls with two fours and a six, but Andrew Tye had him bowled in the eighth over (8.1) at 53/5. Sherfane Rutherford, expected to anchor the chase, struggled, managing 4 off 9 balls before being caught by Ian Holland off Glenn Maxwell in the eighth over (7.4). Hassan Khan offered brief resistance, hitting a four and a six in his 13 off 6 balls, but Jansen dismissed him, caught by Rachin Ravindra, in the 11th over (10.4).

Corey Anderson, the Unicorns’ captain, fell for a two-ball duck, caught by Holland off Tye in the ninth over (8.3), and Pat Cummins’ quick 13 off 7 balls (two sixes) ended when he was adjudged lbw to Ravindra in the 10th over (9.5). The Unicorns were 68/7, and Haris Rauf’s 7 off 8 balls (one four) ended with a stumping off Ravindra in the 14th over (13.5). Carmi le Roux fought on, remaining unbeaten on 20 off 19 balls (one four, one six), but Juanoy Drysdale’s 5 off 6 balls (one four) was the final wicket, bowled by Ravindra in the 16th over (15.6), wrapping up the innings at 111.

Washington’s bowlers were relentless. Jansen led with 3/28, removing Allen, Fraser-McGurk, and Khan, while Ravindra’s 3/23 included Cummins, Rauf, and Drysdale. Tye took 2/12, dismissing Inglis and Anderson, and Maxwell’s 1/14 accounted for Rutherford. Netravalkar chipped in with 1/33, ensuring constant pressure. The Unicorns managed 11 fours and 5 sixes, with 2 extras (1 leg bye, 1 wide), but their run rate of 6.93 was well below the required 10.4. They reached 50 in 7.2 overs and 100 in 14.5 overs, but the loss of wickets derailed their chase.

The strategic timeout at 51/4 in 7.4 overs couldn’t halt the slide, and two failed DRS reviews involving Cummins (9.1 and 9.5) added to their woes. Washington’s varied attack, with Jansen’s pace, Ravindra’s spin, and Tye’s accuracy, exposed the Unicorns’ fragile batting. The middle order’s failure to build partnerships and the inability to counter the rising run rate sealed their fate. Le Roux’s late resistance was the only positive, but it couldn’t prevent a collapse that saw the Unicorns lose their last six wickets for 58 runs.

Washington Freedom’s clinical performance, led by Smith’s batting and Jansen-Ravindra’s bowling, secured them the MLC 2024 title. Smith’s 88 earned him the Player of the Match, while Travis Head’s tournament consistency won him the Player of the Series. The Unicorns, despite a strong season, couldn’t handle the pressure of the final, succumbing to Washington’s all-round dominance.