Major League Cricket 2025: San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom Match Preview
Match Overview
The Major League Cricket 2025 season kicks off with the San Francisco Unicorns facing off against the Washington Freedom. This exciting match is set to take place at the Oakland Coliseum in California on June 13, starting at 03:30 PM IST.
San Francisco Unicorns
The San Francisco Unicorns, who finished as runners-up last season, are eager to make their mark at their new home ground in California. Previously, they played their matches at a neutral venue. Last season, they faced a significant defeat against the Washington Freedom in the finals, losing by 96 runs. With a refreshed squad and new talent, the Unicorns aim to improve their performance this year under the leadership of Corey Anderson.
Washington Freedom
The Washington Freedom, champions of the last season, will be looking to defend their title. Their opening match of MLC 2025 mirrors last season's final against the Unicorns. With Glenn Maxwell stepping in as captain in place of Steve Smith, the team appears stronger than ever. Key players like Mitchell Owen, Andres Gous, and Rachin Ravindra are expected to shine with the bat, while Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson, and Ben Sears will lead the bowling attack.
Pitch Analysis
The pitch at Oakland Coliseum is anticipated to favor batting, providing a lively surface for the players. As this is a newly built stadium, its behavior will be closely observed. Batters are expected to find it easy to play their shots after settling in, although spinners may find some assistance as the game progresses, particularly during the middle overs.
Head-to-Head Record
| Head-to-Head: SF vs WAS | |
| Matches Played | 3 |
| Wins by San Francisco Unicorns | 1 |
| Wins by Washington Freedom | 2 |
| No Result | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
Predicted Lineups
San Francisco Unicorns: Finn Allen (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matthew Short, Corey Anderson (c), Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Tim Seifert, Cooper Connolly, Haris Rauf, Liam Plunkett, Carmi le Roux.
Washington Freedom: Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous (wk), Mark Chapman, Jack Edwards, Glenn Maxwell (c), Glenn Phillips, Obus Piennar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Jason Behrendorff.
Key Players to Watch
Top Wicketkeeper
- Tim Seifert | SF: Renowned for his aggressive batting style, Tim Seifert is a key player to consider. With 5878 runs in 263 T20 matches, including three centuries, he can significantly impact the game.
Top Batters
- Cooper Connolly | SF: After a stellar performance in the Big Bash League, Cooper is eager to make his mark in this tournament. He has scored 577 runs in 27 T20 matches.
- Glenn Maxwell | WAS: A proven match-winner, Glenn Maxwell scored 153 runs in five innings last season and is expected to continue his form.
Top All-Rounders
- Matthew Short | SF: An all-rounder who contributes with both bat and ball, Matthew scored 170 runs and took four wickets last season.
- Rachin Ravindra | WAS: After a challenging season last year, Rachin aims to bounce back and showcase his all-round capabilities.
Top Bowlers
- Haris Rauf | SF: Known for his speed and accuracy, Haris will look to improve on last season's performance where he took only four wickets.
- Lockie Ferguson | WAS: A standout bowler last season with 10 wickets in seven innings, Lockie is expected to be a key player again this year.