Owen’s 155 powers Freedom to victory even as Pollard overtakes Gayle
A Historic Night of T20 Cricket in the MLC
The Major League Cricket (MLC) witnessed one of its most extraordinary matches as Washington Freedom locked horns with MI New York in a high-octane encounter. Ultimately, Owen’s 155 powers Freedom to victory even as Pollard overtakes Gayle on an unforgettable night of individual brilliance, record-breaking batting, and monumental career milestones.
Mitchell Owen produced an innings for the ages, registering the highest individual score in MLC history to catapult Washington Freedom to a formidable total of 245 for 5. Yet, despite the sheer scale of Owen’s destructive knock, the legendary Kieron Pollard ensured his own name captured the global headlines by surpassing the universe boss, Chris Gayle, to become the all-time leading run-scorer in Men’s T20 history.
Mitchell Owen’s Record-Breaking Carnage
From the moment he arrived at the crease, Mitchell Owen looked like a man on a mission. The Washington Freedom batsman dismantled the MI New York bowling attack with clinical precision and ruthless power. Owen reached his century in just 41 deliveries, bringing up the milestone in the 10th over of Freedom’s innings. At that juncture, having already cleared the ropes nine times, Gayle’s legendary individual T20 record of 175* seemed under genuine threat.
Owen did not slow down after his century. Instead, he accelerated further, racing from 100 to 150 in a mere 20 deliveries. For a brief period, the magical 200-run mark in a T20 innings appeared mathematically possible. His spectacular display finally came to an end in the 17th over when he was dismissed for a breathtaking 155 off 68 balls. Despite his departure, his innings had already guaranteed Washington Freedom a massive advantage, securing his place in MLC folklore.
MI New York’s Late Bowling Resurgence
While Owen’s batting was the headline act of the first innings, MI New York’s bowlers deserve credit for a remarkable late-innings fightback. Following Owen’s dismissal, the MINY bowling unit managed to apply the brakes dramatically. Incredibly, they conceded no boundaries from the final ball of the 14th over until the very last ball of the innings.
This disciplined death-bowling display restricted Washington Freedom to just 36 runs in their final six overs. While a target of 246 remained a mountain to climb, MINY’s bowling unit at least gave their batters a glimmer of hope by preventing Freedom from crossing the 270-mark, which had looked highly likely during Owen’s peak carnage.
Early Disasters in the Chase
MI New York’s pursuit of the mammoth 246-run target got off to the worst possible start. Glenn Maxwell struck immediately in the opening over of the chase, dismissing Monank Patel. Disaster struck again in the very same over when opener Quinton de Kock was run out, leaving MINY reeling. Maxwell then claimed the crucial wicket of Nicholas Pooran in his subsequent over, getting him caught at short fine leg.
With their top order blown away, MINY slumped to a precarious 22 for 3, which quickly degenerated into 64 for 5. The match looked to be heading toward an early, one-sided conclusion as Washington Freedom’s bowlers capitalized on the scoreboard pressure.
Kieron Pollard’s Legendary Milestone
What followed was a masterclass in resilience and power-hitting from Kieron Pollard. The veteran West Indian all-rounder joined forces with Romario Shepherd to stitch together a crucial 70-run partnership off just 40 balls for the sixth wicket. Following Shepherd’s departure, Pollard found another able ally in Corbin Bosch, with whom he shared an unbeaten 81-run stand off just 34 deliveries for the seventh wicket.
This particular innings was somewhat uncharacteristic for Pollard, featuring 11 boundaries and only four sixes, showcasing his ability to find the gaps and rotate strike under immense pressure. However, when the moment arrived to break Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of 14,561 runs, Pollard did so in his signature style. Off the first ball of the 19th over, Pollard launched Asif Mehmood over the long-off boundary for a towering six, taking his match score to 85 and his career tally to 14,567 runs.
Pollard continued his onslaught to bring up his second career T20 century—his first since 2018—on the final ball of the match, finishing unbeaten on 100 off 56 balls. Although MI New York fell short by 30 runs, finishing on 215, the night will forever be remembered for Owen’s historic 155 and Pollard’s ascent to the peak of T20 cricket history.
