MLC 2026: Ton-up Steve Smith attains multiple T20 feats
What's the story
Washington Freedom achieved a historic feat by completing the highest successful chase in T20 cricket. The team chased down a mammoth target of 267 set by MI New York, winning the Eliminator by six wickets at Oakland Coliseum. The record-breaking chase was led by Andries Gous and Steve Smith, who both scored centuries and put on a partnership of 241 runs for the third wicket. The latter slammed his seventh ton in T20 cricket.
Partnership details
Record-breaking partnership and chase
Washington Freedom's chase got off to a rocky start, with Mitchell Owen and Rachin Ravindra falling early.
However, Smith and Gous turned the game around with a staggering 241-run stand for the third wicket.
Smith anchored the innings with an unbeaten 110 off 48 balls while Gous hammered a career-best 132 off just 51 deliveries.
Their partnership of 241 runs (89 balls) is the joint second-biggest in the format.
Record
Smith's fastest T20 ton
Smith raced to his ton off 40 balls, his fastest in T20 cricket. As mentioned, this was his seventh ton in the format.
Smith now has the third-most centuries among Australian players in the format. He broke a tie with Shane Watson (6).
The former now has 6,970 runs from 294 T20s at an average of 33.03. His tally includes a strike rate of 132.66.
Do you know?
What was his previous record?
Smith's previous fastest T20 ton came earlier this year for Sydney Sixers against the Thunder. He slammed a 41-ball ton, guiding the Sixers to a five-wicket win (with 16 balls remaining). Smith finished with a 42-ball 100.
Information
600 fours in T20s
During the match, Smith also completed 600 fours in T20 cricket. He hammered 7 fours and 9 sixes against MI New York, finishing with a strike rate of 229.17. Besides, Smith has raced to 219 T20 sixes.