Marcus Stoinis unleashed a stunning display of power-hitting during the 17th over, smashing five sixes off Washington Freedom seamer Ian Holland to turn the match decisively in Seattle Orcas’ favour in their MLC 2026 clash at the Oakland Coliseum.The Australian all-rounder had made a slow start, managing just 4 runs from his first six deliveries, but he flipped the script in spectacular fashion. Taking full advantage of the death overs, Stoinis tore into Holland, clearing the boundary five times in the over to collect 30 runs and shift the momentum completely.He wasn’t done there. In the following over, Stoinis launched Marco Jansen for another towering six before being caught on the very next ball. His explosive cameo of 42 off just 16 deliveries, featuring six sixes, came at a remarkable strike rate of 262.50.
Seattle Orcas crush Washington Freedom by 88 runs
Asked to bat first, the Seattle Orcas overcame a steady start with a spectacular display of power-hitting led by Shimron Hetmyer. The West Indies batter lit up the Oakland Coliseum with a blistering 79 off 33 balls, smashing nine sixes and two fours to put the Freedom bowlers under immense pressure.He received excellent support from skipper Marcus Stoinis, who produced a whirlwind 42 off just 16 deliveries, including six sixes, while opener Tim Seifert laid the platform with a brisk 37 from 20 balls. Although Marco Jansen impressed with figures of 3/33, Seattle finished on a daunting 227/6, leaving Washington Freedom with a stiff chase.The reply never gained momentum as Jasdeep Singh delivered a devastating spell with the new ball. The right-arm seamer tore through the top order, finishing with outstanding figures of 5/24 in four overs to put the Freedom on the back foot from the outset.Washington’s star-studded batting lineup crumbled under pressure, with Steven Smith (1), Glenn Maxwell (0) and Mitchell Owen (5) all falling cheaply as the side slumped to 50/7 inside the first eight overs.A late counterattack from Amila Aponso, who struck 31 off 13 balls, and Ian Holland (26) added some respectability to the score, but the outcome was never in doubt. Cameron Gannon chipped in with 2/16 as Washington Freedom were eventually bowled out for 139 in 16.2 overs, handing Seattle Orcas a commanding 88-run victory.
