By Tim Douglas 
In a contest that looked all but lost early on, Mitchell Owen delivered a game-defining performance to guide Washington Freedom into the playoffs of the 2025 Major League Cricket, stunning the previously unbeaten San Francisco Unicorns.
At Grand Prairie Stadium, it wasn’t his explosive batting that lit up the evening—but rather his clinical, career-best five-wicket haul that completely flipped the script.
San Francisco, chasing 170, seemed well in control at 97/2, with captain Matthew Short continuing his sublime form by registering his fourth consecutive MLC half-century. But then came the turning point—Glenn Maxwell tossed the ball to Owen, and the young Aussie didn’t just shift momentum, he owned it.
Using subtle changes in pace and intelligent angles, Owen deceived Short, whose mistimed heave landed safely in Jack Edwards’ hands. That wicket cracked the door open—and Owen smashed it down. In his next over, he bagged Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd in back-to-back balls, ripping through the Unicorns’ middle order.
From there, San Francisco’s innings unraveled. Ian Holland removed the well-set Sanjay Krishnamurthi, and Owen returned to complete his five-wicket masterpiece—becoming just the third bowler in MLC history to achieve the feat.
While Owen earned the spotlight, Washington Freedom’s batting effort earlier in the evening had been an exercise in resilience. Reduced to 30/4 in just five overs, courtesy of a fiery new-ball spell by Xavier Bartlett, Freedom appeared headed for a sub-100 total. Bartlett removed three in the powerplay, and Haris Rauf added the prized scalp of Maxwell to deepen the crisis.
But Glenn Phillips (58 off 39) and Jack Edwards (42) rebuilt with composure, adding a pivotal 71-run stand. Later, Obus Pienaar (30 off 12)* and Mukhtar Ahmed (17 off 9)* provided the finishing push, propelling the Freedom to a competitive 169/6.
The Unicorns, having dominated every game so far, couldn’t withstand the collapse. They eventually fell short by 12 runs, suffering their first defeat of MLC 2025 and exposing a few chinks in their high-flying campaign.
Washington Freedom now move confidently into the postseason, while San Francisco will regroup quickly before heading to Florida, where they face the Seattle Orcas next. Freedom, meanwhile, will look to maintain momentum as they gear up for the Texas Super Kings showdown.
Match Summary:
Washington Freedom 169/6 (Glenn Phillips 58, Jack Edwards 42, Obus Pienaar 30*; Xavier Bartlett 4/32)
San Francisco Unicorns 157/9 (Matthew Short 67, Jahmar Hamilton 31*; Mitchell Owen 5/17)
Result: Washington Freedom won by 12 runs
Anas Ahmed