Washington Freedom Register Highest Successful T20 Chase Ever

The Washington Freedom set a record for the most successful run chase in Eliminator 1 of the 2026 Major League Cricket season, earning their position in T20 history.

With eight balls left, the capital city team chased down 267 against MI New York, breaking the previous Indian Premier League (IPL) record held by the Punjab Kings.

MI New York had a strong hitting performance in the first inning, scoring 266 thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s 33-ball 106, which struck at 321.21 and included 13 sixes.

Washington Freedom had a different perspective on what seemed to be a winning total in the majority of T20 games. They lost two wickets for ten runs in the first six overs, which was a disappointing start. But Andries Gous and captain Steve Smith both changed the course of the game.

Smith scored 110 not out, and Gous scored 132, both of which were hundreds. The US international, who scored 258.82 and hit 10 fours and 12 sixes, was instrumental in reviving the pursuit. Smith, on the other hand, stayed unbeaten at 110 after reaching his first MLC century.

To save the Washington Freedom from defeat and achieve the highest run chase in the game’s shortest format, Gous and Smith teamed for a third wicket partnership of 241 runs off just 89 balls.

The Washington Freedom smashed the previous PBKS record during the 2026 IPL season. The two-time finalists defeated the Delhi Capitals at Arun Jaitley Stadium, chasing down 265 runs with seven balls remaining.

Notably, the Washington Freedom and MI New York encounter included 51 sixes, a new record for a single Twenty20 match.

In order to play the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the MLC 2026 final on Saturday, July 18, the 2024 victors will now face the San Francisco Unicorns in Eliminator 2.

Steve Smith, Captain of the Washington Freedom:

“From ball one, he (Andries Gous) just came out and felt like he hadn’t missed the middle of the bat all night. And everything kept flying over the rope. We had the finest seat in the house up there. And, yes, that was a beautiful victory.

Clearly, 260 is chasing that down. A lot needs to go right. We certainly had a rough start. And then the ball began to strike the middle of both of our bats. And, luckily, they kept going over the rope.

And we gave ourselves a chance at the back end, aiming to keep the pace around 14, knowing that two good hits per over puts you on the right track. So that worked out well. [About the message to the team during the innings break] No, you simply have to trust the boys and go outside and play. There was not much said.

It was simply go out and play the game, and as I previously stated, a lot of things have to be correct. Fortunately, we were able to hit the middle of the bat sufficiently tonight. I believe there was a record number of sixes in a cricket game.

So, yes, balls are flying everywhere. It became a little wet in the back, so there was some dew, and it began to skid a little more. It was a good chase. [How will you recall the night?] It was quite special.

Obviously, it was a terrific partnership. And to chase down 260 at any point is a remarkable achievement. So, we’ll take it in tonight, return tomorrow for another big game, and hopefully put on another show.”

Andries Gou, Player of the Match:

“It’s just the faith we have in each other, Ricky and Hopsey and everyone. In sports, the belief that people have in me and this entire team is just incredibly great.

[Did the 96 in the previous game serve as further motivation to achieve these runs tonight?] 100%, and on a personal side, I would have wanted to be the first guy to receive a 100 from the United States. And chasing 260 is always special if you can pull it off.

So, yeah, I think it’s an incredible game for everyone here. [When did you truly believe you could win this?] Over 7 or 8, the rate remained constant at 14, and the wicket began to slide slightly.

And I said to Smudge, ‘We could be in,’ and he responded, ‘We’re definitely in it, sure.’ So I’m quite thrilled with that.”