With the acquisition of prominent players like Steve Smith, Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, and notable coaching icons such as Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson, Major League Cricket (MLC) is quickly establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. Only in its second season, MLC has already shown tremendous growth. Cricket may not be the USA’s primary sport, but the league’s rapid advancements over the past year are undeniable. Taking place shortly after the national cricket team’s impressive performance at the T20 World Cup, where they advanced to the second round, the MLC stands to gain significantly from this newfound momentum.
Several key players, including Lockie Ferguson and David Miller, have made significant team switches, adding to the league’s dynamic nature. However, the heartening development is the rise of local American players, who have become household names, fueling anticipation and excitement about MLC’s future.
The second edition of Major League Cricket is slated to run from July 5 to 28, promising 25 thrilling matches. For cricket enthusiasts in India, Sony Sports Network will broadcast all the games on television. Fans can catch daytime matches at 12:30/1 AM IST and evening matches at 6 AM IST, making it a cricketing feast for early risers and night owls alike.
. Additionally, all games will be available for live streaming on the JioCinema app and website, ensuring that fans won’t miss a single delivery.
Let’s look at the squads participating in this season, starting with MI New York:
MI New York:
Led by captain Kieron Pollard, the team comprises Nicholas Pooran, Steven Taylor, Monank Patel, Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Shayan Jahangir, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Nosthush Kenjige, Ehsan Adil, Ruben Clinton, Heath Richards, Rashid Khan, Rushil Ugarkar, Romario Shepherd, and Sunny Patel.
Seattle Orcas:
Under the leadership of Wayne Parnell, the Seattle Orcas’ roster includes Aaron Jones, Hammad Azam, Nauman Anwar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Cameron Gannon, Nandre Burger, Zaman Khan, Harmeet Singh, Imad Wasim, Michael Bracewell, Ayan Desai, Shehan Jayasuriya, Shubham Ranjane, and Ali Sheikh.
Texas Super Kings:
With Faf Du Plessis at the helm, the Texas Super Kings’ lineup features Devon Conway, Dwayne Bravo, Gerald Coetzee, Mitchell Santner, Calvin Savage, Milind Kumar, Cameron Stevenson, Zia Shahzad, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Md Mohsin, Zia Ul Haq, Joshua Tromp, Raj Nannan, Daryl Mitchell, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Stoinis, Aiden Markram, Naveen Ul Haq, and Noor Ahmad.
Los Angeles Knight Riders:
Captained by Sunil Narine, the Los Angeles Knight Riders boast players such as Andre Russell, Jason Roy, David Miller, Shakib Al Hasan, Joshua Little, Spencer Johnson, Unmukt Chand, Ali Khan, Alex Carey, Waqar Salamkheil, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Nitish Kumar, Saif Badar, Corne Dry, Derone Davis, Matthew Tromp, and Adithya Ganesh.
San Francisco Unicorns:
Led by Corey Anderson, the San Francisco Unicorns’ squad includes Pat Cummins, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis, Sherfane Rutherford, Matthew Short, Haris Rauf, Finn Allen, Matt Henry, Abrar Ahmed, Liam Plunkett, Brody Couch, Carmi Le Roux, Tajinder Singh, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Karima Gore, Jahmar Hamilton, and Hassan Khan.
Washington Freedom:
With Steve Smith as captain, Washington Freedom features players like Akeal Hosein, Akhilesh Bodugum, Amila Aponso, Andrew Tye, Andries Gous, Glenn Maxwell, Ian Holland, Jack Edwards, Justin Dill, Lahiru Milantha, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Mukhtar Ahmed, Obus Pienaar, Rachin Ravindra, Saurabh Netravalkar, Travis Head, and Yasir Mohammad.
As excitement builds for MLC 2024, fans and stakeholders are eager to see how the league will continue to evolve. With high-profile signings and the successful integration of local talent, Major League Cricket is set to deliver an exhilarating season that promises to capture the imagination of cricket enthusiasts both in the USA and worldwide.
