Washington Freedom, the defending champions, haven't done any harm to their chances of title defence by topping the table in the Major League Cricket (MLC) for the second season in a row. Mitch Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips and Ian Holland, among others, have put their hand up time and again for the Freedom to keep finding ways to win, chase down totals and defend targets and will be keen to get to the second consecutive final as they take on the Texas Super Kings in the Qualifier.
It was a season that belonged to the Super Kings, who revitalised their performances and campaign with a few crucial signings and a superlative Faf du Plessis at the helm, smashing a couple of centuries and almost a third. Then they had the spin twins of Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad with completely different roles and the likes of Adam Milne, Donovan Ferreira and Nandre Burger coming into their own.
The Super Kings would want to get into the final directly and not take the 'Challenger' route but Freedom with some quality players in their attack, will challenge them. The Freedom had a blip against the Super Kings last time around in a rain-shortened game and will be keen to avenge that loss and make it to the final straight away.
My Dream11 team for MLC 2025 Qualifier, WF vs TSK
Probably Playing XIs
Washington Freedom: Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous (wk), Jack Edwards, Glenn Maxwell (c), Glenn Phillips, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson
Texas Super Kings: Smit Patel (wk), Faf du Plessis (c), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Marcus Stoinis, Shubham Ranjane, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Zia-ul-Haq, Adam Milne