Oakland, June 17, 2025 – The Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) have had a challenging start to the MLC 2025, losing both their opening games convincingly. As the tournament heats up, they are desperate to earn their first points and avoid falling too far behind in a fiercely competitive field. With just seven games played, teams like the San Francisco Unicorns and Texas Super Kings have already set the pace, leaving others like LA Knight Riders with a lot of ground to catch up.
LA Knight Riders’ Struggles So Far
While LAKR have a solid top order consisting of Andre Fletcher, Alex Hales, and Unmukt Chand, the opening pair hasn’t set the tournament alight yet. Their batting performances, especially in the loss against Washington Freedom, were a significant letdown, with the middle order failing to deliver when needed.
But the primary focus is on one man: Andre Russell. Despite being the marquee player, Russell’s form has been dismal. His IPL 2025 performance was lackluster, and that trend has continued into the MLC 2025. Russell has conceded 95 runs from just 8 overs with the ball and has been dismissed cheaply in both his batting innings, managing only seven deliveries in total. These stats are concerning, and Russell will be keen to turn his form around, especially with the team relying on him to deliver.
Can LA Knight Riders Bounce Back?
The task won’t be easy for the LA Knight Riders, as they face the defending champions, Washington Freedom, who made a strong comeback in their last game after an opening loss to San Francisco Unicorns. Washington Freedom’s disciplined bowling and solid batting efforts from Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Maxwell in the chase set a strong tone. If LAKR can capitalize on their opponent’s poor start, they will be eyeing a much-needed victory.
What to Expect in Today’s Game
- When: June 17, 6:00 PM local time (6:30 AM IST, June 18)
- Where: Oakland Coliseum, California
- What to expect: After high-scoring games in the opening rounds, the recent matches at the venue have seen a dip in the run rate. Both teams will hope for a more batting-friendly surface, considering the explosive talent in their line-ups.
Probable XI for Both Teams:
Washington Freedom:
- Mitchell Owen, Rachin Ravindra, Andries Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (c), Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Ian Holland, Saurabh Netravalkar, Abhishek Paradkar
LA Knight Riders:
- Andre Fletcher, Alex Hales, Unmukt Chand (wk), Nitish Kumar, Matthew Tromp, Andre Russell, Saif Badar, Sunil Narine (c), Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Tanveer Sangha
