Quinton de Kock Stars With 77-Run Knock as MINY Beat Washington Freedom by Five Runs to Reclaim their 2nd MLC Title

  On 14 July 2025, MI New York won their second Major League Cricket (MLC)     championship by a narrow margin of 5 runs over former champion Washington       Freedom team in what became one of the most exciting finals in the history of the  tournament 

Game Context and Pre-Final builds:

The match was played on the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, in the third season of MLC, which was played between June 12 and July 13, 2025 Washington Freedom led the league phase with a superb record of 8 win & 2 losses and became a direct participant of the final after their Qualifier 1 match was washed out.

MI New York, on the other hand, got off to a rocky beginning, with just 3 win in their first 10 matches, ranking in 4th place in the round-robin.They qualified, by net run-rate, to the playoffs and came back with two victories in the Eliminator and Challenger to reach the final against all odds

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MI New York innings: 180/7 Competitive Innings

Washington freedom won the toss and decided to field first The innings of MI New York started with an electric 72-run opening partnership between Quinton de Kock and Monank Patel in 44 balls only. De Kock played a match-winning innings of 77 off 46 (6 fours, 4 sixes) and Patel had a good 28 off 22 Balls Nevertheless, Washington fought their way in the middle overs. Lockie Ferguson was especially successful, ending his four overs with 3/21, with the wickets of de Kock and the veteran Kieron Pollard (who was dismissed on a duck). A last-minute cameo by Kunwarjeet Singh, who scored unbeaten 22 off 13 balls, gave the necessary boost to MI New York, who managed to get to a respectable total of 180/7 in 20 overs Washington Freedom Innings: Resistance by the middle-order

Freedom had a nightmare first over, bowled out both Mitchell Owen and Andries Gous without scoring by Trent Boult, which would send shivers across their camp at an early stage.

In spite of the initial setback, Rachin Ravindra, who came in at No. 3, mounted an excellent counter-attack. His 70 in 41 balls (8 boundaries and 2 sixes) was the core of a 84-run stand with Jack Edwards who contributed 33 in 22

This appeared to be going in the favour of Washington when Ravindra was bowled by Rushil Ugarkar in the 17 th over, cutting a slower ball back to extra cover. Shortly after that, Brilliant death off Glenn Phillips, a quickfire 48 off 34* kept the equation in check as they required 12 runs in the last over

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Final Over Drama: Masterclass by Ugarkar

12 runs needed in Final over, MI New York brought on Rushil Ugarkar, the 22-year-old USA medium pacer who had earlier bowled Ravindra out. Very little experienced on the large stage, he answered the call gloriously In his over bowling he demonstrated a tight death bowling and intelligent variation. His over: two singles, a dot, a wicket (Maxwell caught at long-on), a dot and then a single.He conceded just 6 runs in 6 balls and in the process ended the chase of Washington as Glenn Maxwell was sent back and the boundary hit by Obus Pienaar on the last delivery was too late-MI New York won by five runs That Ugarkar was well-hyped Player of the Match, his tact and cool-headedness winning the game at the right moment Season / Tournament Highlights

• Title Surge of MI New York: Having had a disappointing league phase (3-7),    showed perseverance and a strategic high at their best to win Eliminator,          Challenger, and the Final to win their second MLC title (Previous: 2023)

• Washington Freedom's Dominance Only Half:  were the best of the regular season, had the star players in Mitchell Owen (Player of the Series with 313 runs and 14 wickets) but could not finish it off in the final

• MI Franchise Legacy: MI New York is now the most successful team in         the  MLC having won 2 titles in 3 seasons.

Key Players: Statis Snapshot

Player                             Team                Rationale

Quinton de Kock 77 (46) MI New York    Led the innings attacking with bat in hand                                                                                         striking rate

Monank Patel 28 (22)    MI New York   Gave rapid fire support at Start,leading                                                                                      run-scorer in the tournament(478                                                                                                          runs)             

Lockie Ferguson 3/21  Washington Freedom  Crushed at the start of MI New York                                                                                                  batting, key mid-                                                                                                                 innings carnage                                                                                                               

Rachin Ravindra 70 (41) Washington Freedom   Compose Fight Back when                                                                                          the  pressure was on, the middle-                                                                                          order  driver

Glenn Phillips 48* (34)   Washington Freedom    Last minute push that took the                                                                                                  game into the final over

Rushil Ugarkar 2/32      MI New York       Match-winner: key-wickets and freezing                                                                                          final over bowling Both Significance and Legacy:

• A Comeback to Remember: Most analysts termed the run by MI New York       to the trophy as a case study on perseverance. They wrote scripts at the         end of  the game by transforming themselves from a poor league stage             team to teams that made it to the playoffs .

• Youth Stepping up: Ugarkar was a new fresh talent in the USA cricket as          he screamed his ability on a big-stage and an international platform.

• MLC Growth: The latter marked a season of enormous development-the          growth to 34 matches, beginning mid-June, and being played in a variety of      locations-witness to the MLC stature as a cricket world player

Looking Ahead:

MI New York is the new owner of two MLC titles (2023 & 2025) and the team that everyone will have to challenge in 2026. Their playoff performance has been one of their many characteristics. Washington freedom, who were beaten in the final are a strong unit. They were as individually brilliant as Owen, Phillips, Maxwell and others--but they could count back on how they finished under pressure. They will take with them the experience and the need of redemption.

Brief Scores: 

MI New York Innings: 180/7 (20 Overs) Quinton de Kock 77 off 46 Balls (6 Fours & & Sixes), Monank Patel 28 off 22 Balls (2 Fours & 1 Sixes)

Washington Freedom Bowling:  Lockie Ferguson 3/21 (4 Overs), Saurabh Netravalkar 1/31 (4 Overs)

Washington Freedom Innings: 175/5 (20 Overs) Rachin Ravindra 70 off 41 Balls (8 Fours & 2 Sixes), Glenn Phillips 48* off 34 Balls (5 Sixes)

Mi New York Bowling: Trent Boult 2/32 (4 Overs) Rushil Ugarkar 2/32 (4 Overs)

Player of the Match: Rushil Ugarkar 2/32 (4 Overs)

Player of the Series: Mitchell Owen

Result: Mi New York Won by 5 Wickets