USA’s Indian-origin pacer Saurabh Netravalkar lit up the Major League Cricket with a breathtaking bowling performance. Playing for Washington Freedom, he scalped three wickets in a crucial game against the Los Angeles Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday. The left-arm quick struck early with the new ball before registering two more dismissals in his second spell in the death overs.
Despite his commendable show, LAKR put on a fightable total, posting 192 at a loss of eight wickets. Among the rest of the WAF bowlers, the Australian duo—Ben Dwarshuis and Mitchell Owen—bagged two wickets each. Netravalkar, who gained prominence during the 2024 T20 World Cup with his super-over heroics against Pakistan, has picked up seven wickets for Washington so far in this MLS season.
WAF vs LAKR: Saurabh Netravalkar Grabs Three-Fer
As the Washington Freedom captain Steve Smith opted to field first, Saurabh Netravalkar drew the first blood by dismissing Colin Munro on his fifth ball. Later, he struck twice in the 16th over, getting the better of Los Angeles captain Jason Holder and Rovman Powell.
Netravalkar tricked Powell for a caught-behind with an outside-off delivery. The on-field umpire missed the edge, but WAF went straight for the review and the not-out decision was overturned. He then castled Holdar, as LAKR lost two crucial wickets in the same over.
Saurabh Netravalkar understood the assignment 🔥#MLC2026 #FreedomExpress #WFvLAKR pic.twitter.com/LGrdXnsOX3
— Washington Freedom (@WSHFreedom) July 10, 2026
What Happened In Washington Freedom vs Los Angeles Knight Riders MLC 2026 Clash?
Coming to chase a 190-plus target, the WAF batters had a difficult outing. The openers, including Smith, disappointed. Lahiru Milantha and Andries Gous were the standout players for them, scoring 40 and 37 runs. Only three more batters from the team could breach the two-digit mark as Lon Angeles won the MLC game by 18 runs to reach eight points. LAKR entered the match on the back of an impressive win over San Francisco Unicorns, but failed to continue the momentum, suffering the fourth defeat of the season.
