MLC 2024 Final: Awards, Prize Money & Stats:- Steve Smith led Washington Freedom to a convincing 96-run win over the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 final on Sunday, July 28, at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas. This victory secured the championship title for Washington Freedom.
Batting first, Washington Freedom posted a formidable total of 207/5 in their 20 overs, thanks to a captain’s knock from Steve Smith, who smashed 88 off 52 balls. His innings, combined with a quick-fire 40 off 22 balls from Glenn Maxwell, laid the foundation for a challenging target.
Smith and Maxwell’s partnership of 83 runs for the fourth wicket propelled Washington Freedom past the 150-run mark. Late contributions from Mukhtar Ahmed (19* off 9 balls) and Obus Pienaar (13* off 9 balls) ensured their team reached the highest total of the season.
American wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous chipped in with a handy 21 off 14 balls, further adding to the Unicorns’ misery. San Francisco’s bowling attack, which included Pat Cummins, struggled to contain the run flow, with Cummins being the only standout performer, taking 2 wickets for 35 runs.
However, the rest of the bowlers conceded over 40 runs each, allowing Washington Freedom to post a daunting total.
In response, the San Francisco Unicorns faltered under the pressure of the huge target, getting bowled out for just 111 in 16 overs. Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra were the chief destroyers, picking up 3 wickets each (3/28 for Jansen and 3/23 for Ravindra).
The Unicorns’ batting lineup, which had relied heavily on Finn Allen and Hassan Khan throughout the season, could not withstand the relentless Washington bowling attack. Both Allen and Khan managed only 13 runs each.
Carmi le Roux was the highest scorer for the Unicorns with an unbeaten 20 off 19 balls, but it wasn’t enough to mount a serious challenge. Washington Freedom’s bowling unit was in top form, with Saurabh Netravalkar (1/33), Andrew Tye (2/12), and Glenn Maxwell (1/14) all contributing to the collapse of the San Francisco batting lineup.
MLC 2024 Prize Pool, Player’s Salary and Team Salary
The Major League Cricket (MLC) offers a total payment pool of USD 1.1m per men’s team. The minimum payment for a player is $10k, with no maximum. Players are paid 40% of their contract by the first league match and 60% by 28 days after the final match of the season.
The league provides medical insurance for player injuries and related costs, but details about permanent total disability (PTD) insurance and accidental death insurance are not provided.
Washington Freedom clinched the Major League Cricket 2024 title and took home a whopping $505,000 in prize money, while the runners-up, San Francisco Unicorns, were awarded $252,500.
To put this into perspective for Indian readers, Washington Freedom’s prize translates to approximately ₹4.2 crores, and the Unicorns’ earnings amount to around ₹2.1 crores. This significant prize pool highlights the growing prominence and financial stakes of Major League Cricket on the global stage. (Source: IndiaTV)
MLC 2024 Awards and Highlights:
- Champions: Washington Freedom
- Runners-Up: San Francisco Unicorns
- Power Hitter: Mukhtar Ahmed (Washington Freedom) – USD 1,000
- Play of the Day: Josh Inglis (San Francisco Unicorns) – USD 1,000
- MVP of the Final: Steve Smith (Washington Freedom)
- Domestic Player of the Tournament: Hassan Khan (San Francisco Unicorns)
- Leading Wicket-Taker: Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom)
- Leading Run-Scorer: Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings)
- MLC 2024 MVP: Travis Head (Washington Freedom)
MLC 2024 Stats & Records:
- Highest Team Total: 207/5 by Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns
- Lowest Team Total: 88 All Out by MI New York vs Washington Freedom
- Most Runs: Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings) – 420 runs in 8 innings
- Highest Individual Score: (Not provided, but keep stats accurate)
- Most Sixes: Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings) – 23 sixes in 8 innings
- Most Fours: Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings) – 43 fours in 8 innings
- Most 50s: Travis Head (Washington Freedom) – 5 fifties in 9 innings
- Most 100s: Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings), Finn Allen (San Francisco Unicorns), and Ryan Rickleton (Seattle Orcas) – 1 hundred each
- Highest Strike Rate (Minimum 100 Runs): Finn Allen (San Francisco Unicorns) – 187.73
- Most Wickets: Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom) – 15 wickets in 7 innings
- Best Bowling Figures: Rachin Ravindra (Washington Freedom) – 4/11 in 2.5 overs vs San Francisco Unicorns
- Best Economy Rate (Minimum 20 Overs): Rashid Khan (MI New York) – 6.15
Washington Freedom’s victory in the MLC 2024 final was a testament to their all-around strength, with contributions from both their batsmen and bowlers. Steve Smith’s leadership and standout performance, coupled with a cohesive team effort, ensured that Washington Freedom lifted the trophy in style.
A Complete Walkthrough of Statistics of Major League Cricket 2024:
The Major League Cricket 2024 season was filled with thrilling performances and record-breaking achievements.
From the highest team total of 207/5 by Washington Freedom to Faf du Plessis dominating as the top run-scorer with 420 runs in 8 innings, the tournament showcased exceptional talent.
Saurabh Netravalkar emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets, while Finn Allen set the pace with the highest strike rate of 187.73. With standout performances, stunning victories, and memorable moments, MLC 2024 was a cricketing spectacle for the ages.
MLC 2024 Highest Run Scorers
| Position | Name | Team | Innings | Runs |
| 1 | Faf Du Plessis | Texas Super Kings | 8 | 420 |
| 2 | Travis Head | Washington Freedom | 9 | 336 |
| 3 | Steve Smith | Washington Freedom | 9 | 336 |
| 4 | Finn Allen | San Francisco Unicorns | 9 | 306 |
| 5 | Devon Conway | Texas Super Kings | 8 | 293 |
MLC 2024 Highest Wicket Takers
| Position | Name | Team | Innings | Wickets |
| 1 | Saurabh Netravalkar | Washington Freedom | 7 | 15 |
| 2 | Rachin Ravindra | Washington Freedom | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | Cameron Gannon | Seattle Orcas | 7 | 11 |
| 4 | Marco Jansen | Washington Freedom | 8 | 11 |
| 5 | Hassan Khan | San Francisco Unicorns | 7 | 10 |
Major League Cricket 2024 Most Sixes
| Position | Name | Team | Sixes |
| 1 | Faf Du Plessis | Texas Super Kings | 23 |
| 2 | Steve Smith | Washington Freedom | 21 |
| 3 | Finn Allen | San Francisco Unicorns | 20 |
| 4 | Travis Head | Washington Freedom | 18 |
| 5 | Matthew Short | San Francisco Unicorns | 14 |
Major League Cricket 2024 Highest Individual Score
| Position | Name | Team | Score |
| 1 | Ryan Rickelton | Seattle Orcas | 103* |
| 2 | Finn Allen | San Francisco Unicorns | 101 |
| 3 | Faf Du Plessis | Texas Super Kings | 100 |
| 4 | Ryan Rickelton | Seattle Orcas | 89 |
| 5 | Steve Smith | Washington Freedom | 88 |
MLC 2024 Best Figures (Minimum 4 Overs)
| Position | Name | Team | Figures (Wickets/Runs) |
| 1 | Rachin Ravindra | Washington Freedom | 4/11 |
| 2 | Mohammad Mohsin | Texas Super Kings | 4/13 |
| 3 | Rachin Ravindra | Washington Freedom | 4/16 |
| 4 | Lockie Ferguson | Washington Freedom | 4/26 |
| 5 | Ali Khan | Los Angeles Knight Riders | 4/33 |
MLC 2024 Best Strike Rate (Minimum 20 Balls)
| Position | Name | Team | Strike Rate |
| 1 | Finn Allen | San Francisco Unicorns | 187.73 |
| 2 | Matthew Short | San Francisco Unicorns | 180.85 |
| 3 | Rashid Khan | MI New York | 178.02 |
| 4 | Mukhtar Ahmed | Washington Freedom | 175.00 |
| 5 | Travis Head | Washington Freedom | 173.20 |
MLC 2024 Best Economy Rate
| Position | Name | Team | Economy Rate |
| 1 | Rachin Ravindra | Washington Freedom | 4.81 |
| 2 | Jasdeep Singh | Washington Freedom | 5.57 |
| 3 | Rashid Khan | MI New York | 6.15 |
| 4 | Rushil Ugarkar | MI New York | 6.18 |
| 5 | Sunil Narine | Los Angeles Knight Riders | 6.21 |
