Washington Freedom crowned MLC Champions

Finishing atop the MLC ladder at the conclusion of the regular rounds, the Freedom capped their season with a comprehensive victory over the San Francisco Unicorns in a thrilling final on Monday, to claim their first Major League title.

Freedom captain and CNSW star, Steve Smith proved instrumental in Washington’s dominance across the US summer, with the decider no different for the Australian, NSW and Sydney Sixers superstar, shining under pressure.

Producing an 83-run partnership with Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell, Smith (88 from 52) showcased his class, notching six sixes and seven boundaries, delighting the 7000-strong Dallas crowd, as the Freedom ran away with a 96-run victory.

Led by CNSW high performance staff and under the guidance of renowned head coach Ricky Ponting, the Freedom have gone from strength to strength in the second season of the competition, winning seven of their eight matches , with standout performances from Smith, Maxwell and Australian opener, Travis Head.

Taking over leadership of the side from his former mentor, and current NSW Men’s head coach, Greg Shipperd, Ponting was secured by the Freedom in February in one of the biggest coups the league has seen to date.

The Freedom were additionally strengthened by the inclusion of NSW Blues star and Steve Waugh medallist Jack Edwards, and international names including Rachin Ravindra, Marco Jansen and Akeal Hosein.

First established in 2023, the innovative strategic partnership between Cricket NSW and the Washington based franchise has proven a soaring success, as Cricket NSW continues to grow as a force in the global cricket ecosystem.

A number of Cricket NSW staff – including Freedom’s General Manager of Cricket, Michael Klinger, Head of SSSM, Patrick Farhart, assistant coach, Shawn Bradstreet, physiotherapist, Danny Redrup and performance analyst, Michael Najdan– played key roles in the Freedom’s triumph this season, establishing the high-performance environment that will set up the franchise for long-term success.

Cricket NSW CEO, Lee Germon congratulated the team on their victory, praising the hard work of all involved.

“As the high-performance partner of Washington Freedom, we are very proud of the team winning MLC02. It is wonderful for us to be a partner alongside Sanjay Govil, the owner of the team, and much of the success this season is a testament to the expertise and commitment from our CNSW people alongside Sanjay’s team.

“CNSW has a rich history of developing outstanding players and teams and this win by the Washington Freedom continues this excellent record. I would like to especially congratulate Michael Klinger as our GM Cricket Washington Freedom, and many CNSW staff who have led and contributed to this victory.”