Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 witnessed yet another breathtaking fielding effort as San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) all-rounder Aaron Hardie pulled off a sensational relay catch during the Elimination clash against Washington Freedom (WF) at the Oakland Coliseum.
While the contest eventually ended in Washington Freedom’s favour, Hardie’s outstanding athleticism near the boundary ropes emerged as one of the standout moments of the match and quickly caught the attention of fans.
Aaron Hardie pulls off stunning relay catch to remove Rachin Ravindra
The spectacular moment came during Washington Freedom’s innings when Ghulam Mudassar tempted Rachin Ravindra into playing an attacking shot. Bowling a full delivery, Mudassar induced a mistimed lofted stroke that travelled towards long-on, where Hardie was stationed close to the boundary.
Initially, it looked like the ball would comfortably clear the fielder or that Hardie’s momentum would carry him over the ropes after completing the catch. However, the Australian all-rounder showed exceptional awareness and composure. He grabbed the ball above his head before realising he was about to step beyond the boundary cushions. Hardie immediately released the ball back into the air, crossed outside the rope, returned to the field of play and safely completed the catch on his second attempt.
The brilliant relay effort brought an end to Ravindra’s entertaining innings of 28 off just 14 deliveries, which included one four and three towering sixes. The dismissal also provided the Unicorns with a much-needed breakthrough after the left-hander had scored at a rapid pace.
Here’s the video:
Phenomenal catch by Hardie! 👐 Prevents that one from going over and sends Rachin Ravindra back to the bench pic.twitter.com/aXwmi0P6yn
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 17, 2026
Also READ: Rohit Sharma set to play his farewell ODI match at Lords – Reports
Washington Freedom edge San Francisco Unicorns to reach the MLC 2026 final
Despite Hardie’s moment of brilliance, Washington Freedom went on to post an imposing total of 238/6, thanks to another outstanding innings from Andries Gous, who smashed 73 off 40 balls. Captain Steve Smith and Mitchell Owen also made valuable contributions to give Freedom complete control of the contest.
San Francisco Unicorns responded with an excellent chase led by skipper Matthew Short, who remained unbeaten on a magnificent 121 off just 56 deliveries. Short kept his side in contention until the final over alongside Xavier Bartlett, but Washington Freedom held their nerve in the closing stages to seal a thrilling seven-run victory. The win secured Washington Freedom a place in the MLC 2026 final, where they will take on Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the championship clash.
Also READ: Top 5 fastest centuries in franchise T20 cricket ft. Nicholas Pooran
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
