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Washington Freedom face defending champions MI New York in the Eliminator of Major League Cricket 2026 at the Oakland Coliseum, with the loser’s season ending on the spot. Washington finished third in the league stage with 12 points, while MI New York finished fourth on 10 points after a five wins, five losses campaign. In this preview you will find the match details, form, pitch report and two WF vs MINY fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
There is a heavy layer of history here. This is a rematch of the MLC 2025 final, which MI New York won by chasing down 176 to complete an improbable run to the title after finishing fourth in last year’s league stage too. Washington will want revenge for that final. MI New York will want to prove the fourth place run to glory was no fluke.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 7.00 AM IST on Thursday, July 16, which is a 6.30 PM evening start in Oakland on Wednesday, July 15. The match will be shown on Star Sports 2 and streamed on JioHotstar.
WF vs MINY Eliminator Match Details
Match: Washington Freedom vs MI New York, Eliminator, MLC 2026
Date: Wednesday, July 15 in Oakland (Thursday morning, July 16 in India)
Time: 7.00 AM IST | 6.30 PM Pacific time
Venue: Oakland Coliseum, California
Broadcast in India: Star Sports 2, JioHotstar
Stakes: Loser is eliminated from MLC 2026
MLC 2026 Playoff Picture
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | NRR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco Unicorns | 10 | 6 | 4 | +0.487 | 12 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Knight Riders | 10 | 6 | 4 | +0.245 | 12 |
| 3 | Washington Freedom | 10 | 6 | 4 | -0.399 | 12 |
| 4 | MI New York | 10 | 5 | 5 | -0.165 | 10 |
Three teams finished the league stage level on 12 points, with San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington separated only by net run rate. MI New York finished fourth on 10 points, one win behind the group above them, which is why they enter through the Eliminator rather than the Qualifier that San Francisco and Los Angeles are contesting on the same day. The Eliminator loser is out of the tournament. The winner moves into the Challenger on July 16 against whichever of San Francisco or Los Angeles loses the Qualifier, with a place in the July 18 final still up for grabs.
Washington Freedom: Finished Third, Won The Fixture That Mattered Most This Week
Washington Freedom close out the league stage with a five wicket win over MI New York themselves, chasing 188 with nine balls to spare behind Andries Gous’s 96 off 54 balls and Rachin Ravindra’s 60 off 30. That win, coming in the very last league match, confirmed Washington’s third place finish and gave them a psychological edge heading straight back into a knockout against the same opponent days later.
Steve Smith’s side has been built around genuine depth all season. Mitchell Owen has been one of the leading run scorers in the entire tournament, Glenn Maxwell and Rachin Ravindra add world class quality through the middle, and the bowling has Ben Dwarshuis, Saurabh Netravalkar and Marco Jansen sharing the load with real control. Ravindra also chipped in with the ball in the win over MI New York, claiming 2 for 6 in a single over late in the innings.
MI New York: The Fourth Place Specialists Are Here Again
If anyone knows the value of a fourth place finish in this tournament, it is MI New York. The defending champions won the MLC 2025 title after finishing fourth in the league stage last year too, and they now find themselves in an almost identical position, needing to win three straight knockout matches to defend their crown.
The batting goes through captain Nicholas Pooran, who made 86 off 44 balls in the defeat to Washington, including four fours and eight sixes, and shared a 90 run third wicket stand with Kunwarjeet Singh. Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard and Shakib Al Hasan add further firepower, though the top order has been inconsistent, with de Kock and Monank Patel both falling cheaply in the last match. The bowling leans on Trent Boult and Romario Shepherd, and Rushil Ugarkar, who was named Player of the Match in last year’s final for his death bowling, remains their trump card in the closing overs.
WF vs MINY Head To Head Record
Washington Freedom lead the recent head to head 6 wins to 3 across the last ten meetings, and they have won three of the last four, including this week’s five wicket victory. But the one game MI New York won in that stretch was the one that mattered most, the MLC 2025 final, when they chased 176 to lift the title. History says Washington control the regular season fixture, but MI New York have the recent knockout pedigree in this exact matchup.
Oakland Coliseum Pitch Report: Pace Bowling Ground, Chasing Has The Edge
Oakland has been the most pace friendly venue in MLC 2026, with seamers taking 67 percent of the wickets across the last ten matches at the ground against just 33 percent for spin.
Oakland Coliseum venue stats:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Pace wickets | 67% |
| Spin wickets | 33% |
Recent matches at Oakland Coliseum:
| Match | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFU vs WF, 15th match | WF 190/4 | SFU 193/2 | Unicorns won |
| LAKR vs SO, 14th match | SO 154/7 | LAKR 134/8 | Orcas won |
| TSK vs WF, 13th match | TSK 185/4 | WF 187/9 | Freedom won |
Two of the last three completed matches here have gone to the chasing side, and Washington themselves know both sides of that story, having chased successfully in one Oakland game this season and been chased down in another. With the toss carrying real weight and a heavy pace bias in the bowling attacks on both sides, expect Boult, Dwarshuis, Netravalkar and Jansen to have a major say in the outcome.
Oakland Weather Report For WF vs MINY
Unsettled, and potentially decisive. The forecast for Wednesday evening in Oakland shows mostly cloudy skies, 16 degrees, humidity at 76 percent and an 87 percent chance of rain, the same threatening conditions forecast for the Qualifier earlier in the day. A knockout match reduced by rain would put even more pressure on the toss and the powerplay overs, and both teams should be ready for DLS to enter the equation.
WF vs MINY Probable Playing XIs
Washington Freedom (probable): Andries Gous (wk), Mitchell Owen, Steve Smith (c), Mark Chapman, Glenn Maxwell, Rachin Ravindra, Ian Holland, Jack Edwards, Ben Dwarshuis, Marco Jansen, Saurabh Netravalkar
Lahiru Milantha and Nikhil Chaudhary are the batting alternatives, and Lockie Ferguson offers extra pace if Washington want to freshen the attack for a knockout.
MI New York (probable): Quinton de Kock, Monank Patel, Nicholas Pooran (c), Kieron Pollard, Shakib Al Hasan, Corey Anderson, Corbin Bosch, Romario Shepherd, Rushil Ugarkar, Sunny Patel, Trent Boult
Kunwarjeet Singh Ballagan is pushing for a recall after his 26 off 20 in the last match, and Tajinder Singh and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar are the other options if MI New York want a change of attack.
Key Player Battles
Nicholas Pooran vs Ben Dwarshuis: Pooran hit 86 off 44 in the last meeting between these two teams, and Dwarshuis is the bowler most likely to trouble him early. Whoever wins the first few overs of MI New York’s innings sets the tone for a repeat.
Mitchell Owen vs Trent Boult: Owen has been one of the tournament’s most destructive top order batters, and Boult with the new ball on a pace friendly Oakland surface is exactly the examination he will need to pass.
Rachin Ravindra vs Kieron Pollard: Ravindra’s all round value, seen in his 60 with the bat and 2 for 6 with the ball in the last meeting, against Pollard’s big match experience in knockout cricket, is the contest that could decide which team’s middle overs win the day.
WF vs MINY Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Andries Gous
Batters: Nicholas Pooran (C), Mitchell Owen (VC), Quinton de Kock, Mark Chapman
All Rounders: Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Maxwell, Kieron Pollard
Bowlers: Trent Boult, Ben Dwarshuis, Saurabh Netravalkar, Rushil Ugarkar
Pooran is the captain after his 86 off 44 in the last meeting between these teams, the standout batting performance of the fixture this season. Owen is the vice captain as one of the league’s leading run scorers all year. Ravindra’s double role value earns him a spot ahead of a pure batter, and the bowling attack is built from the four bowlers most likely to control the new ball and the death overs on a pace heavy pitch.
WF vs MINY Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second WF vs MINY fantasy team leaves out Pooran and Owen, who will be the two most owned players in this match.
Wicketkeeper: Monank Patel
Batters: Steve Smith, Mark Chapman, Corey Anderson, Shakib Al Hasan
All Rounders: Glenn Maxwell (C), Ian Holland (VC), Romario Shepherd
Bowlers: Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Rushil Ugarkar
Maxwell as captain is the differential, a genuine match winner who has not had the headline moments Pooran and Owen have had this week but carries the class to produce one when it matters most. Holland is the vice captain for his all round value in the Washington middle order. Smith’s calm chasing hand and Anderson’s power hitting are both low owned picks with real upside, and Ugarkar’s record in exactly this kind of knockout, having been Player of the Match in last year’s final, makes him a bowler worth backing again.
Also Read- BBL Comes To India: Renegades vs Scorchers Season Opener Confirmed For Chennai On December 12
WF vs MINY Match Prediction
Washington Freedom have the better recent form, having just beaten this exact opponent, and they finished a place higher on the table with a healthier season overall. But MI New York have made a habit of exactly this situation, winning the title last year after finishing fourth in the league stage, and Pooran’s form makes them dangerous in any format of knockout cricket. Rain remains the wildcard for the whole day at Oakland. If the match goes the full distance, Washington’s depth and recent momentum make them narrow favourites, but MI New York’s knockout pedigree in this specific fixture means nobody should be surprised if the defending champions find another way through.
FANTASY
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FAQs
Q. When is the WF vs MINY Eliminator?
A. The Eliminator will be played on Wednesday, July 15 at the Oakland Coliseum, starting at 6.30 PM Pacific time, which is 7.00 AM IST on Thursday, July 16.
Q. Where can I watch WF vs MINY Eliminator live in India?
A. The match will be shown on Star Sports 2 and streamed live on JioHotstar in India.
Q. What happens to the loser of the WF vs MINY Eliminator?
A. The losing team is eliminated from MLC 2026 with immediate effect. The winner advances to the Challenger on July 16 against the loser of the Qualifier between San Francisco Unicorns and Los Angeles Knight Riders.
Q. Did MI New York finish fourth in the MLC 2026 league stage?
A. Yes. MI New York finished fourth with 10 points from 10 matches, one win behind the three teams tied on 12 points above them. They finished fourth in the league stage last season too, before winning the title.
Q. Who should be captain in the WF vs MINY fantasy team?
A. Nicholas Pooran is the best captain choice after scoring 86 off 44 balls in the most recent meeting between these teams. Glenn Maxwell is a strong differential captain for grand leagues.
Q. What is the head to head record between Washington Freedom and MI New York?
A. Washington Freedom lead 6 wins to 3 across the last ten meetings, including a win earlier this week. MI New York’s only win in that stretch came in the MLC 2025 final, the game that mattered most.