Orcas chase playoffs, Freedom focus on top-two finish

Seattle Orcas have found form at the perfect time. After five straight losses, they've bounced back with three wins in a row, each navigated by a match-winning knock from Shimron Hetmyer. His latest came against the San Francisco Unicorns, a team that had already qualified for the playoffs. It was the first of three tough final league games for the Orcas and that victory has set them up nicely for the next two, both against sides that have also booked their playoff spots. With Washington Freedom up next, the Orcas will be keen to keep their dream run going.

If the Orcas win this, they will move to 8 points in 9 matches and get the much-needed breathing room over MI New York, who are on 4 points from eight matches with two games left.

Freedom, currently third on the table, are one of three teams tied on 12 points. With the opportunity to have two cracks at final still up for grabs, they'll be eyeing 14 points to set themselves up for a top-two finish. However, their last outing ended in a massive loss to Texas Super Kings in a rain-shortened game, when their bowlers conceded the second-highest total ever in a five-over T20 game. The chase proved too steep, especially against the spin duo of Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad, and Freedom would want a better overall performance to get back in the groove.

When: Match 26, Jul 4, 2025, 7:00 PM Local / 4:30 AM IST (Jul 05)

Where: Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida

What to expect: Lauderhill has a bit more turn than the other MLC venues this season, so do not expect very high scores that we witnessed in Dallas.

Washington Freedom

• Lockie Ferguson made his first appearance of the season in the last game but was oddly not called upon to bowl by Glenn Maxwell in the rain-shortened match. He's likely to keep his place and get a bowl this time around.
• Probable XI: Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous(w), Glenn Maxwell(c), Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson

Seattle Orcas

• Steven Taylor and Gerald Coetzee were picked for the last match. While Taylor made a 10-ball duck, Coetzee impressed with figures of 4-1-21-0.
• Probable XI: Shayan Jahangir (wk), Aaron Jones, Kyle Mayers, Heinrich Klaasen, Steven Taylor, Shimron Hetmyer, Sikandar Raza (c), Gerald Coetzee, Harmeet Singh, Ayan Desai, Waqar Salamkheil