Nicholas Pooran: 51 sixes in MLC record chase highlighted a historic night as Washington Freedom pulled off the highest successful run chase in T20 history, defeating MI New York by six wickets in the MLC 2026 Eliminator. The match saw 51 sixes in MLC record chase, surpassing the previous record of 42. Washington Freedom chased down 267 at the Oakland Coliseum, beating the earlier record set by Punjab Kings in the IPL.
MI New York posted 266, powered by Nicholas Pooran’s blistering 31-ball century, the fastest in MLC history and second-fastest in franchise T20s. Pooran’s innings featured 29 sixes by his team, the most by any side in an MLC innings. However, Washington Freedom’s reply was equally stunning, with Andries Gous and Steven Smith leading a record partnership of 241 runs, the joint second-highest in T20 history.
The contest produced 536 runs, the second-highest match aggregate in T20s, only behind the 549-run game between RCB and SRH in IPL 2024. The 51 sixes in MLC record chase made it the first T20 match to exceed 50 maximums, with Pooran leading the charge for MI New York. Washington Freedom struck 22 sixes to complete the chase, keeping their title hopes alive.
Washington Freedom will now face San Francisco Unicorns in Eliminator 2, with the winner meeting LA Knight Riders in the final. This match rewrote several records, including the fastest MLC century and the biggest chase in T20 history. The 51 sixes in MLC record chase will be remembered as a landmark moment, showcasing the explosive batting power in Major League Cricket.