MLC 2025 | LAKR vs WSF Match Preview: Los Angeles aims to stay afloat with first win over Washington

‌Los Angeles Knight Riders have all the odds against them as they face Washington Freedom in their sixth match of the Major League Cricket 2025 season at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. LAKR has never won a match against WSF in the history of MLC and will have an uphill task to stop Washington from completing a double and remain in contention for a playoff spot this year.

Meanwhile, WSF is in a purple patch winning four matches on the trot after losing the opening match of this season. They are currently third in the MLC 2025 points table with eight points from five games with a win in this match taking them to second and closer to the playoffs. But LAKR is at the opposite end of the spectrum, at fifth, with only one win in the whole season and another loss will take them closer to the exit door.

The Australian pair of Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Owen have been in terrific form and lead the run charts for Washington Freedom this year. Owen has scored 245 runs in five innings at an average of 49.00 and an astonishing strike rate of 204.16 while skipper Maxwell has a tally of 185 runs, including a century, with an impressive average of 61.66 and a strike rate of 205.55. On the bowling front too, Owen is on top of the list with his medium pace earning him nine wickets while Ian Holland and Jack Edwards have seven wickets each.

Meanwhile, Unmukt Chand has had a decent outing with the bat despite LAKR’s miserable run with 191 runs from five games at an average of 47.75 while Andre Russell and Shadley van Schalkwyk are in the top ten list of overall wicket-takers with eight wickets apiece.

Form Guide

LAKR Form: LLLWL

WSF Form: LWWWW

LAKR vs WSF head-to-head in MLC

Los Angeles Knight Riders are yet to win a match against Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket with Washington holding a three-match winning streak against the Knight Riders since the start of the tournament in 2023. Washington also won their earlier duel this season by a whopping 113-run margin.

LAKR 0 - 3 WSF

Pitch and Conditions

The Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas has been an excellent batting surface with 12 of the 14 innings in the seven matches held in the MLC this year seeing scores in excess of 175. The shorter boundaries and quick outfield, in addition to the flat track, have helped batters to score big. As a result, captains have preferred to chase down targets with four of the seven games being won by sides batting second. However, the trend seems to be reversing with the last three games being won by sides defending their scores.

It will be a cloudy and humid evening in Dallas with the temperatures expected to be around 24 degrees. The fans will hopefully get to enjoy uninterrupted action with only a 14% chance of rain during the game. 

Team News

Both Los Angeles Knight Riders and Washington Freedom are expected to play the same eleven from their previous matches.

LAKR Expected XI

Unmukt Chand (wk), Alex Hales, Nitish Kumar, Saif Badar, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (c), Shadley van Schalkwyk, Sunil Narine, Ali Khan

WSF Expected XI

Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andrie Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (c), Glenn Phillips, Jack Edwards, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Matthew Forde, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar

Broadcasting Platforms 

The LAKR vs WSF MLC 2025 match will be digitally streamed on the Jio Hotstar app and website in India with the telecast of the same on the Star Sports Network from 5:30 AM IST on Friday.