UNICORNS FALL TO WASHINGTON FREEDOM IN MLC CHALLENGER
San Francisco Unicorns, 231/6 (M Short, 121; X Bartlett, 28) lost to Washington Freedom, 238/6 (A Gous, 73; X Bartlett, 3/36), by seven runs
The San Francisco Unicorns’ 2026 Major League Cricket season came to an end with a seven run loss to the Washington Freedom in the Challenger at the Oakland Coliseum. Captain Matt Short finished unbeaten on 121 to lead the chase, but the Unicorns fell seven runs short of a place in the MLC Final.
Washington made a fast start after being sent in to bat, reaching 83/1 in the powerplay through Mitchell Owen and Steven Smith. Owen scored 42 off 19 balls before Hassan Khan claimed the first wicket, while Smith added 43 off 20 deliveries before Xavier Bartlett forced an edge that Lhuan-dre Pretorius caught behind the stumps.
The Unicorns picked up regular wickets through the middle overs to keep Freedom in check. Ghulam Mudassar dismissed Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Maxwell to finish with 2/32, while Bartlett removed Smith before adding the wickets of Andries Gous and Ben Dwarshuis to finish with a team-best 3/36.
Despite the breakthroughs, Washington posted 238/6 behind another strong innings from Gous, who followed his Eliminator century with 73 off 40 balls. The Freedom closed with 238/6, leaving San Francisco needing 239 to advance to the MLC Final.
The Unicorns responded aggressively, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius making 18 off 10 balls before Short and Finn Allen kept the chase on pace. Short changed the momentum with a 28-run sixth over against Mitchell Owen, helping San Francisco reach 74/2 at the end of the Powerplay.
Short continued to anchor the innings, reaching his half-century in 24 balls before bringing up his third T20 century in just 48 deliveries. Hassan Khan added 21, while Xavier Bartlett chipped in with 28 off 13 balls as the Unicorns stayed within striking distance entering the final overs.
Short finished unbeaten on 121 off 56 balls with 11 fours and eight sixes, while San Francisco’s 231/6 marked the franchise’s first 200-plus total of the 2026 season. The Unicorns needed 22 runs from the final over and closed within seven runs as Washington held on to advance to the championship match.
The result concluded an encouraging season, with the Unicorns finishing atop the regular-season standings and reaching the playoffs for the third straight year. While the season ended one game short of the Championship, San Francisco Unicorns established itself as one of the league’s top teams heading into 2027.
