Saurabh Netravalkar, Mitchell Owen Shine as Washington Freedom Beat LA Knight Riders in MLC 2026

Washington Freedom produced a clinical all-round display to defeat Los Angeles Knight Riders by six wickets in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 on Wednesday. The victory was built on an outstanding bowling effort led by Saurabh Netravalkar and Mitchell Owen, who claimed three wickets each before Steven Smith guided the chase.

The match marked the beginning of MLC action in Pomona after a two-day break, and the surface immediately appeared challenging for batters. A total of only 218 runs were scored in the contest, with 14 wickets falling across 37.1 overs.

Freedom Bowlers Dominate Knight Riders

After being asked to bat, Los Angeles Knight Riders struggled throughout their innings and were eventually bowled out for 108. Colin Munro top-scored early with 25 runs from 31 balls, while Matthew Tromp contributed 21 off 20 deliveries.

The Knight Riders managed just 40 runs for the loss of one wicket during the powerplay and failed to accelerate afterward. Their innings slipped further to 59 for 3 after 10 overs as Washington Freedom’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure.

Saurabh Netravalkar delivered the decisive blow in the 13th over, dismissing both Jason Holder and Andre Russell to leave the Knight Riders reeling. Rovman Powell attempted a late counterattack with a quickfire 30 off 19 balls, including two fours and two sixes, but received little support from the other end.

Netravalkar finished with impressive figures of 3 for 16, while Mitchell Owen claimed 3 for 19. Ben Dwarshuis and Ian Holland also chipped in with two wickets each to complete a dominant bowling performance.

Steven Smith Anchors Comfortable Chase

Chasing a modest target of 109, Washington Freedom suffered an early wobble when Sunil Narine dismissed Mitchell Owen and Andries Gous within the first three overs.

However, captain Steven Smith remained composed and anchored the innings with an unbeaten 40 from 44 deliveries. Although the target did not require aggressive batting, Smith ensured there were no further major setbacks.

Mark Chapman provided valuable support, scoring 34 runs from 30 balls as the pair added 62 runs for the third wicket. Their partnership effectively took the game away from the Knight Riders.

After Chapman’s dismissal, Nikhil Chaudhary contributed 15 runs before Smith and Lahiru Milantha completed the chase with 17 balls remaining.

Points Table Impact

The victory lifted Washington Freedom to fourth place in the MLC 2026 standings. They are now level on points with leaders San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas and Texas Super Kings, although they trail those teams on net run rate.

For Los Angeles Knight Riders, the defeat continued a disappointing campaign and pushed them to the bottom of the table as their batting struggles remained a major concern.