Marcus Stoinis (Image: X)
Marcus Stoinis unleashed a stunning display of powerful hitting during the 17th over, smashing five sixes off Washington Freedom seamer Ian Holland to decisively turn the match in favor of the Seattle Orcas in the 2026 MLC match at the Auckland Coliseum.The Australian all-rounder had a slow start, managing just 4 runs from his first six deliveries, but he turned the script in stunning fashion. Taking full advantage of the deaths, Stoinis stormed into the Netherlands, clearing the boundary five times at the end to collect 30 points and completely change the momentum.
It didn’t end there. In the following, Stoinis launched Marco Janssen for another towering six before he was caught out on the 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 defeats Washington Freedom by 88 points
When asked to bat first, the Seattle Orcas overcame a steady start with an impressive display of power hitting led by Shimron Hetmyer. The West Indies lit up the Auckland Coliseum with 79 off 33 balls, smashing nine sixes and two fours to put the Freedom players under immense pressure.
He had excellent support from skipper Marcus Stoinis, who produced a whirlwind 42 off just 16 deliveries, including six sixes, while opener Tim Seifert set the platform with 37 off 20 balls.
Although Marco Janssen impressed with figures of 3/33, Seattle finished with a score of 227/6, leaving Washington Freedom in hot pursuit.The reply never gained momentum as Jasdeep Singh bowled a devastating spell with the new ball. The right-arm seamer tore through the top order, finishing with impressive figures of 5/24 in four overs to put Freedom on the back foot from the start.WA’s star-studded batting line-up collapsed under pressure, with Steven Smith (1), Glenn Maxwell (0) and Mitchell Owen (5) all falling cheaply as the team fell to 50/7 inside the first eight overs.A late counter-attack from Amila Abonsu, who scored 31 off 13 balls, and Ian Holland (26), added some respectability to the scoreline, but the result was never in doubt. Cameron Gannon scored 2/16 as Washington Freedom was eventually bowled out for 139 in 16.2 overs, giving the Seattle Orcas a solid 88-run win.
