Gous, Smith tons help Freedom script highest successful T20 chase

Washington Freedom pulled off the highest successful chase in T20 history, running down 266 to beat defending champions MI New York by six wickets in the Eliminator of MLC 2026 at the Oakland Coliseum.

Andries Gous made 132 and Steve Smith an unbeaten 110, their stand of 241 in 89 balls eclipsing the previous record for any wicket in domestic/franchise leagues as Freedom got home with eight balls to spare.

MI New York's total had been built on a blistering ton from Nicholas Pooran, who was one ball slower than Chris Gayle's record 30-ball century, with strong support from Kieron Pollard's 64 and Quinton de Kock's 51. Rachin Ravindra, finishing with 4 for 29, gave Freedom hope.

Despite losing two early wickets, Gous and Smith batted with peculiar calm. MI New York dropped catches – Shakib Al Hasan, Pollard, and Nostush Kenjige all put down sitters.

After Kenjige dropped Smith, Gous smashed Romario Shepherd for four sixes in a row before closing out that 13th over with a four – 29 runs in all. Pollard went for 21 in the next and finished by firing the ball back towards Smith in frustration, then walked off with an injured finger. Tajinder Dhillon bowled the next over and gave away 31, as MI New York conceded 81 runs across those three overs.

Both batters took 40 balls to reach their centuries. Gous became the first American player to score an MLC hundred, while Smith had his fastest T20 hundred.

MI New York had 211 on the board after 13 overs. Smith turned to Ravindra, who bowled the innings' first boundary-less over and took the wicket of Dhillon. Ravindra struck twice more in his next over, dismissing Shakib and Shepherd, then added Kunwarjeet Singh. MI New York managed just 33 from their final five overs.

Brief scores: MI New York 266/9 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 106, Kieron Pollard 64, Quinton de Kock 51; Rachin Ravindra 4-29) lost to Washington Freedom 270/4 in 18.4 overs (Andries Gous 132, Steve Smith 110*; Shakib Al Hasan 2-34) by six wickets.