WATCH - Team retires batter on 6 off 5 balls, his replacement slams 37 off nine to seal thriller in MLC

Things continue to spice up in Major League Cricket (MLC). In a rain-hit five-over game between Texas Super Kings and Washington Freedom on Thursday (Jul 3), Texas entered the top two following a one-sided win in Lauderhill. However, what made headlines was a game-changing decision that helped Texas stay at the top. After being asked to bat first, Texas lost its opener and captain Marcus Stoinis inside the first over, only for his team to retire his fellow partner, Daryl Mitchell, who struggled to time the ball. Although that walk towards the pavilion was slow, what followed next was perhaps the quickest yet blistering knock this season.

Mitchell’s replacement, Donovan Ferreira, went berserk, whacking an unbeaten 37 off just nine deliveries, including five massive sixes at a strike rate of over 400 (411.11). Just after the completion of the third over, Texas decided to retire Mitchell, who was batting at an unbeaten six off five deliveries. Little did they know they pulled a masterpiece until the right-handed Ferreira began opening his arms.

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Alongside USA’s Shubham Ranjane, who was batting at 39 off 14 balls, including four fours and three sixes, Ferreira made the evening about himself. In the last over of the innings, he took on Aussie medium pacer Mitchell Owen, smashing him for four massive sixes, hitting him for 28 runs in that over, propelling the team to 87 for two in five overs. The pair hit an astonishing 53 off the last 12 balls.

The failed run chase

From one South African to another. After Protean all-rounder Ferreira did the damage with the bat in hand, it was his national teammate Nandre Burger’s turn to do the magic with the ball in hand.

The left-arm pacer picked two massive wickets in the first over, including removing star batter Glenn Maxwell, bowled on a first-ball duck. Washington Freedom never looked comfortable in chase, losing two more wickets before falling shy of the target by 43 runs.

Meanwhile, this win helped Texas seal the second spot on the points table, with Freedom sitting in the third place, having played eight games apiece. Both, however, have already qualified for the knockout stage.