Washington Freedom's quest for a direct entry into the final  

MATCH PREVIEW     

The Major League Cricket 2025 has entered the playoff stage. Table toppers, Washington Freedom, will take on the Texas Super Kings in Qualifier as they look to book a direct berth in the final. Washington Freedom defeated MI New York in the last game, and the side looks in excellent form. They have a strong batting lineup and shall start with higher odds of winning in this game. The Texas Super Kings are also in good form. They defeated the Seattle Orcas in their last game. It will be a tough battle for the side, and it will be interesting to see which team wins and makes it to the final.  

Washington Freedom Preview      

Glenn Maxwell and his team have stormed into the playoffs with a 6-wicket win against the MI New York. The side has finished at the top of the points table with eight wins in 10 games. They will start this game as favorites on cricket betting sites. The batting lineup is in good form, and the bowlers are doing well. Maxwell knows his opponents' strengths and expects a clinical performance from his players.  

Mitchell Owen has done well this season with more than 300 runs, and the team expects him to deliver a confident start with Rachin Ravindra. Andries Gous played a match-winning knock in the last game, and he will look to build partnerships in the middle order with Mark Chapman and Glenn Maxwell. Glenn Phillips and Mukhtar Ahmed are powerful strikers and add firepower to the batting.  

Saurabh Netravalkar has troubled the batters with the new ball, and the team expects early wickets from him and Maxwell. Jack Edwards troubled the batters in the last game, and he must bowl tight spells with Mitchell Owen. Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, and Ian Holland add depth to the attack.  

Expected Starting XI for Washington Freedom     

Glenn Maxwell (c), Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous (wk), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Mukhtar Ahmed, Obus Pienaar, Jack Edwards, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar 

Texas Super Kings Preview      

Faf du Plessis' team has finished second on the points table after the league stage. The side put up a strong performance in the last game against the Seattle Orcas, winning by 51 runs. The side will look to build on the momentum and perform well. They will start the game behind on cricket betting apps as they take on a much stronger side. The Super Kings' skipper must utilize his experience to lead his team and get the best out of his players.  

Faf du Plessis led from the front in the last game, and the team expects him to deliver an electrifying start with Smit Patel. Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane, and Donovan Ferreira must build partnerships in the middle overs as they take on a strong bowling attack. Marcus Stoinis and Calvin Savage must do the big-hitting in the lower middle order and take the team to a big score.  

Zia-ul-Haq and Adam Milne have a tough job at hand with the new ball, and they must get early breakthroughs to put the side in a strong position. Noor Ahmed is an experienced bowler and must do well in the middle overs with Donovan Ferreira. Marcus Stoinis and Akeal Hosein must do well in the supporting role as Washington Freedom’s batters have destroyed bowling attacks.  

Expected Starting XI for Texas Super Kings     

Faf du Plessis (c), Smit Patel (wk), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Marcus Stoinis, Shubham Ranjane, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Zia-ul-Haq, Adam Milne 

TOSS: To Bowl First      

In seven out of 12 games this season, the team chasing the score has won the game at this venue. We expect a challenging surface at the start of the game, where the ball will move. The batting conditions will become better in the second innings. The side winning the toss would look to capitalize on the conditions by bowling first.  

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

There are predictions for rain in Dallas. It will be a tough track to bat on under these conditions. However, we expect the wicket to be flat, allowing batsmen to play their strokes on the rise. The side batting first would have to score 180 runs or more to feel comfortable here.   

OUR PREDICTION      

The Texas Super Kings have performed well with the bat, but their bowling attack has struggled somewhat. They also lack experience in the middle order and need key players in the team to stand tall and deliver the goods. Washington Freedom has ticked all the boxes, and the side has a strong batting lineup. It will be a close game, but based on the current form, the Washington Freedom start as favorites.  

Our prediction is for Washington Freedom to win