Washington Freedom (WF) will face San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) in Match 19 of the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 at the Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona on July 5. Both teams head into the contest with contrasting momentum as the tournament enters a crucial phase.
Washington Freedom have endured an inconsistent campaign so far, winning three and losing three of their six matches. Steve Smith’s side currently sits fifth on the points table and also has the poorest net run rate in the competition. However, they will take confidence from their six-wicket victory over Los Angeles Knight Riders in their previous outing and will be eager to continue that momentum.
San Francisco Unicorns, on the other hand, have looked like one of the strongest teams this season. Matthew Short’s side has won three of its five matches and boasts the best net run rate in the tournament. The Unicorns also defeated Washington Freedom convincingly by eight wickets earlier in the competition and will look to complete the double over their rivals.
WF vs SFU, MLC 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: July 5, 3:00 AM IST / July 4, 9:30 PM GMT / July 4, 4:30 PM Local
- Venue: Knight Riders Cricket Field, Pomona
WF vs SFU, Head-to-Head Record
Matches played: 6 | Washington Freedom won: 3 | San Francisco Unicorns won: 3
Knight Riders Cricket Field Pitch Report
The Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona has generally provided challenging batting conditions during MLC 2026. The average first-innings score in the opening matches at the venue has hovered around 140, with the surface offering enough assistance to both seamers and spinners.
Batters are expected to spend some time settling in before playing their shots, as stroke-making has not been straightforward. Bowlers who hit disciplined lengths have enjoyed consistent success, making partnerships extremely valuable. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first, considering chasing sides have enjoyed better success at this venue so far.
Squads
Washington Freedom: Steven Smith (c), Mitchell Owen, Andries Gous (wk), Mark Chapman, Mukhtar Ahmed, Obus Pienaar, Marco Jansen, Nikhil Chaudhary, Amila Aponso, Asif Mehmood, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Maxwell, Ian Holland, Ben Dwarshuis, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lahiru Milantha, Jack Edwards, Abhishek Paradkar, Yasir Mohammad
San Francisco Unicorns: Matthew Short (c), Finn Allen (wk), Zia-ul-Haq, Connor Esterhuizen, Saideep Ganesh (wk), Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Ollie Peake, Aakarshit Gomel, Xavier Bartlett, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ilyas, Juanoy Drysdale, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Aaron Hardie, Anirudh Immanuel
WF vs SFU, MLC 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- WF wins the toss and bowls first
- SFU’s powerplay score: 50-55
- SFU’s total score: 155-165
Case 2:
- SFU wins the toss and bowls first
- WF’s powerplay score: 45-50
- WF’s total score: 140-150
Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest.
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