Los Angeles Knight Riders have lost three games on a trot
Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) are set to face off against Washington Freedom in Match 9 of the Major Cricket League (MLC) 2023 on Friday, July 21. The high-voltage contest will take place at Church Street Park in Morrisville.
LAKR vs WF: Team Preview
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Unfortunately for the LAKR, they've experienced a winless start to the tournament, suffering three defeats in as many matches. Their batting line-up, thus far, has struggled in chasing targets, and their bowling attack hasn't managed to restrict the opposition's scoring.
Currently, inexperienced players are coming in to bat earlier which has slowed the run-rate at the start. A strategic shift could help the team regain their footing, starting with adjusting the batting order. Their bowlers have been decent but they will need to find ways to slow the opponent’s run-rate.
Washington Freedom
On the other hand, Washington Freedom, has recovered from their loss in the opening game against Seattle Orcas as they clinched a victory against Texas Super Kings in the following game. The match saw the Freedom defending a modest score.
The Freedom's bowlers managed to dismantle the robust Texas batting lineup, securing five wickets for just 50 runs. Despite a thrilling last-minute push by Dwayne Bravo, Washington secured a win by six runs, injecting the team with confidence as they prepare to meet a shaky LAKR.
The LAKR will be seeking to break their losing streak, while the Freedom will be aiming to continue their winning momentum.
Match Details
Date and Time: 21 July, 3:00 AM IST
Venue: Church Street Park, Morrisville
Live Streaming and Broadcast: Sports18 & JioCinema
Pitch Report
The surface at Morrisville's Church Street Park is expected to be balanced and assist both batters and bowlers equally. The pacers will get some swing with the new ball. As this is the inaugural match of the competition at this venue, the team winning the toss will look to bowl to understand more about the new surface.
Predicted Playing XI
Los Angeles Knight Riders: Jason Roy, Unmukt Chand, Rilee Rossouw, Nitish Kumar, Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine (c), Corne Dry, Adam Zampa, Ali Khan, Spencer Johnson
Washington Freedom: Matthew Short, Andries Gous (wk), Mukhtar Ahmed, Glenn Phillips, Moises Henriques (c), Obus Pienaar, Marco Jansen, Akeal Hosein, Dane Piedt, Anrich Nortje, Saurabh Netravalkar
Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
Wicket-keeper: Jaskaran Malhotra
Batters: Jason Roy, Rilee Rossouw, Glenn Phillips, Moises Henriques
All-rounders: Andres Russell, Sunil Narine, Marco Jansen, Matthew Short
Bowlers: Adam Zampa, Anrich Nortje
Captain: Jason Roy
Vice-Captain: Matthew Short
Prediction
Washington Freedom are the favourites to win this match based on their current form