In a high-scoring converter in western Dallas, Washington Freedom smashed their way to a 30-run over MI New York, despite an astonishing 107 not out from Kieron Pollard in the last game of the opening round of fixtures for the 2026 Major League Cricket season.

Batting first, Washington Freedom scored a massive score of 245/5 in their allotted 20 overs, with an explosive innings from Australian all-rounder Mitchell Owen. The opener blasted an impressive 155 runs, attacking the MI New York bowling line-up with some fearless batting. In his innings, he smashed 11 fours and two sixes as it was all one-way traffic from the get-go for Freedom, who posted one of the largest totals so far in a tournament that has had some hefty scores already.

MI New York’s np chase always had an early blip when Quinton de Kock got run out with a fantastic piece of fielding by Washington captain Glenn Maxwell after MI New York elected to chase down the target. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, but Pollard did his best to keep the chase alive with a marvellous hundred not out. Under all this pressure, Pollard launched a brutal counterattack driving boundaries regularly in 6s and raised his hundred with a huge six. But, by then, the required run rate had risen so high it left him too much to do in the final overs.

Pollard remained not out on 100, but MI New York were ultimately bowled out for 215, coming up short of the mammoth chase by 30 runs. Even Glenn Maxwell picked up a couple of wickets with the ball and captained his side truly well all throughout the match.

It became a run feast, with both teams piling on 460 runs between them (new record). Pollard’s century was one of the season’s key individual performances but it was dwarfed by Mitchell Owen’s brilliant 155, which set the tone for Washington Freedom’s run away victory.

The victory was the continuation of Washington Freedom’s explosive start to the 2026 Major League Cricket season, while MI New York and their talisman Pollard were left looking for answers.

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