3 Reasons Why SF Lost to WSF in the 19th Match of MLC 2025

The San Francisco Unicorns, who were leading the table and had a line-up packed with power, had the Washington Freedom coming up in the 19th match of MLC 2025 to extend their winning streak. Matthew Short, their captain, was back to his best, scoring 67 runs off just 40 balls, and by the first half of the chase, the Unicorns were moved comfortably to 97 and were 12 overs into their innings at a 12-an-over challenge. Overall, the Unicorns were in a dominant position when things collectively went south. Washington Freedom, under the pump, somehow walked away with a remarkable 12-run victory, and this is how.

 A Devastating Middle-Order Collapse

The Unicorns committed the mortal sin of middle-order implosion. Following Short’s wicket in the 11th over, San Francisco‘s innings plummeted, and they lost 7 wickets for a mere 44 runs in the back end, mostly due to poor slogging and brain freeze. The Unicorns were stuck in a pickle when Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd fell off consecutive deliveries. In a rare batting blip, Xavier Bartlett, who scored 57 off 69 balls, could not halt his card.

This was a catastrophic batting collapse given that the middle order was put in a position in the first place to brace and finish the innings. In a run chase of 170 on a decent Dallas deck, they just needed one stable bat to soak the pressure. Instead, it was chaotic. When Short went, no one had the temperament to anchor, adjust, or rotate the strike. It wasn’t merely a batting collapse; it was a freefall without a parachute.

Mitchell Owen’s Game-Changing Spell

But credit where credit is due: Mitchell Owen happened. The all-rounder batting had hopped off for a golden duck and then suddenly became a superhero with the ball. In three overs, he took a five-wicket haul-yes, that’s five-for 17 runs and caused the Unicorns to fold like a magician pulling out bunnies from his pocket.

Every time the Unicorns attempted to rebuild, Owen ruined their party. He got the big fish – Matthew Short – with a cleverly disguised slower ball. Then there was the double strike in the 13th over, removing Khan and Shepherd, then Rauf and Couch to finish with his fifer. This was not just bowling; this was demolition with surgical skills. Owen didn’t just swing the match; he closed the door.

Overreliance on Star Players and Lack of Adaptability

Finally, the matter of San Francisco leaning too much on their big three. All three – Short, Allen, and Fraser-McGurk were expected to fire. When two of those players combined for a total of 10 runs, it was left to the rest of the team to step up, but they didn’t. Krishnamurthi and Hamilton did their utmost, but once Short walked off, the batting unit looked shell-shocked; there seemed to be no Plan B.

Nobody adjusted to the change of pace from the pitch and the cunning changes of pace from Washington’s bowlers. Unicorns played like a team that was waiting for one special season player to win it. And after that player departed, it looked like they wandered. Faith in your depth wins T20; San Francisco rolled the dice on stardust.

How did the Unicorns throw away a game they had in their hooves? Easy: they cracked in the middle, got Owen’d in the middle overs, then found no middle ground between brilliance and breakdown. Washington Freedom didn’t just take the game—they earned it, brick by brick, with grit, fire, and a golden-arm performance that reminded everyone: even unicorns can be run down.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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