Nicholas Pooran. (Photo/Sportzpics)

Washington Freedom rewrote the record books on Wednesday, pulling off the highest successful run chase in the T20 history by chasing down 267 to beat defending champions MI New York by six wickets in the Eliminator 1 of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 at the Oakland Coliseum.The chase surpassed Punjab Kings’ successful pursuit of 265 against Delhi Capitals in the IPL earlier this year, making it the biggest chase ever completed in T20 cricket.The match turned into one of the highest-scoring games in the format as MI New York posting 266, powered by Nicholas Pooran’s 31-ball century. Washington Freedom replied with a record chase as Andries Gous and Steven Smith led the way to keep their title hopes alive.Freedom will now face San Francisco Unicorns in Eliminator 2, with the winner taking on LA Knight Riders in the MLC 2026 final.The contest also entered the record books for producing 51 sixes, the most ever hit in a T20 match and the first time a game has featured more than 50 maximums. MI New York cleared the ropes 29 times, while Washington Freedom struck 22 sixes.The previous record stood at 42 sixes, achieved by Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in IPL 2024, and later matched by Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League the same year.MI New York’s 29 sixes also became the most by a team in a single innings in MLC history, breaking the previous record of 28 set by San Francisco Unicorns against Washington Freedom in Oakland in 2025.Pooran’s hundred came off just 31 balls, making it the fastest century in MLC history and the second-fastest in franchise T20 cricket. Only Chris Gayle’s 30-ball hundred for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India in the IPL in 2013 was quicker. The previous MLC record belonged to Finn Allen, who reached the milestone in 34 balls last year.The game also produced 536 runs, the second-highest match aggregate in T20 history. Only the 549-run contest between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 has seen more runs scored in a T20 match.Washington Freedom’s win came despite Pooran’s record-breaking innings, with Gous and Smith guiding their side to one of the biggest victories the format has witnessed. The match also featured the joint second-highest partnership in T20 history, a stand of 241 runs, adding another record to a game that rewrote several milestones.