MLC Teams: A breakdown.
The US-based Major League Cricket (MLC) is set to be the latest cricket competition to take the world by storm. From 13th July - 30th July 2023, six US-based franchises from six cities will face off in a bespoke, well-funded league system, with the top four participating in an exciting and engaging playoff structure. The winner will be crowned in a glitzy inaugural affair at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas, although the final schedule is yet to be confirmed.
A new competition will always generate colossal intrigue from the sport's global and passionate fan base, but the Major League Cricket setup attracts additional interest due to the USA's intrinsic connection with baseball. It may be misguided, but cricket and baseball are often confused as two feathers from the same bird. Despite the apparent similarities in getting the bat on the ball, the tactics, technique, and game rules significantly differ. One prominent physical attribute for both sets of players from both sports is the ability to hurl a long ball. The further and faster a fielder can launch into a throw, the likelier they can restrict running between the wickets/bases and get opposing players back in the dugouts. Organisers hope to tap into this athleticism to attract new cricket fans in the USA while capitalising on what is already one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.
But which teams have been charged with bringing the sport to a new audience stateside? How are the teams utilising significant funding amounts to build their teams? What are the kit colours? Who are the coaching assistants?
There are still many elements of each franchise awaiting confirmation, but in our full MLC breakdown below, we will paint the pre-season picture with the knowledge we have at our fingertips.
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Los Angeles Knight Riders logo
Coach: TBC
Main Overseas Stars: Unmukt Chand,
Main US-based Stars: Jaskaran Malhotra, Nitish Kumar, Ali Khan
Biggest Arm: Corne Dry
Power Hitter: Ali Khan
Speed Demon: Corne Dry
Spin Wizard: Nitish Kumar
Owned by the same individuals in charge of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the Los Angeles outfit will be hoping to create the kind of legacy that both sister franchises have fostered down the years. The Kolkata Knight Riders are third in the all-time IPL winners list, having won the 2012 and 2014 editions, while the Trinbago Knight Riders have won the most titles in the history of the competition, having won four (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020).
The signing of Unmukt Chand could prove a shrewd pick-up by LA Knight Riders, who are keeping their big international signings close to their chest. He was the standout signing for the East Coast franchise on draft night, and with some justification. The former India U-19 World Cup-winning captain can count teams such as the Melbourne Renegades and the Mumbai Indians on his list of previous outfits for which he has starred. He has hit 1,600 runs in T20 cricket worldwide, averaging 22.22 at the time of writing, which is no mean feat in the shorter format.
Despite the above positive moves in the opening draft, the LA Knight Riders will need to find some world-class additions to their roster before the season gets underway to be in with a chance of winning the inaugural tournament. They are light in bowling options, and although they have some useful depth in the batting department, we see them as one of the early favourites for the wooden spoon.
Prediction: 5th
MI New York
MI New York Logo
Coach: TBC
Main Overseas Stars: Hammad Azam, Ehsan Adil
Main US-based Stars: Steven Taylor, Monank Patel, Kyle Phillip
Biggest Arm: Kyle Phillip
Power Hitter: Monank Patel
Speed Demon: Ehsan Adil
Spin Wizard: N/A
The same ownership model in charge of the Mumbai Indians, the second most successful team in the Indian Premier League, have taken the reigns of MI New York, hence the name! Reliance Industries, an Indian multinational conglomerate, proivde the majority of funding.
Much like the LA Knight Riders, the MI New York management team are leaving plenty in the tank before unveiling their final squad ahead of the campaign. That's not to say they haven't made some promising acquisitions.
Steven Taylor was the number one pick in the draft and is regarded by many as the best batsman in the history of USA cricket. He has played for the Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League and has a Twenty20 international average of 43.69 at the time of writing. He brings experience and local knowledge to the table.
Eshan Adil is an interesting signing – the Pakistani international cricketer has three test caps. On his debut, he nabbed legendary South African batter Graeme Smith with his third ball. Despite his international career curiously ending in 2015, he has managed to maintain a consistent performance level in domestic cricket, recently starring for Central Punjab in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, a first-class competition in Pakistan.
All-rounder Hammad Azam is another with international experience that has been a stalwart on the Pakistani domestic scene over the last decade. He is approaching 100 T20 matches, averaging more than 20 with the bat at a strike rate of over 120. His right arm medium pace can also prove tricky to navigate in the shorter format, as his record proves. At the time of writing, he has 75 wickets at an average of under 25 and an economy rate hovering around the 7.7 mark.
However, they will need a lot more to trouble some of the other teams at the top of the standings. One has to expect some big-name arrivals ahead of the season start date but in comparison to some rival teams, MI New York has a lot of work to do to be in with a chance of competing.
Prediction: 6th
San Francisco Unicorns
San Francisco Unicorns logo
Coach: TBC
Main Overseas Stars: Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Corey Anderson
Main US-based Stars: Liam Plunkett, Sanjay Krishnamurthi
Biggest Arm: Liam Plunkett
Power Hitter: Aaron Finch
Speed Demon: Liam Plunkett
Spin Wizard: Chaitanya Bishnoi
Web and technology entrepreneur Anand Rajaraman and Cambrian Ventures and Kosmix-founder Venky Harinarayan are the two lead investors of the Unicorns, and both will hope to tap into San Francisco's diverse scape to inspire the sort of vociferous support seen in the IPL or the BBL. In a joint statement, they said: "The San Francisco Bay Area is home to a vibrant cricket-playing community as well as passionate cricket lovers from diverse backgrounds. It's a privilege for the Unicorns to represent this amazing region in the historic inaugural Major League Cricket season this summer."
There are several reasons to think that the Unicorns could be bang there come the end of the MLC cricket campaign. The signings of Australian superstars Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis, alongside the capture of New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson represent a serious statement of intent. All three have swathes of domestic and international experience on the biggest stage and have the records to match.
The ability to register ex-England international Liam Plunkett as a US-based player also plays right into their hands. The all-rounder is married to an American and is now based there. It means additional international experience without burning any money in their overseas budget.
The all-round abilities of Stoinis, Anderson, and Plunkett will also free up some room for a spinner. The current frontline spinner is Chaitanya Bishnoi, but don't be surprised if they dip into the market for further re-enforcements in the slow-bowling department.
We think the Unicorns could be one of the early favourites to win the inaugural tournament title.
Prediction: Winners
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Orcas logo
Coach: TBC
Main Overseas Stars: Mitchell Marsh, Quinton de Kock, Shehan Jayasuria
Main US-based Stars: Aaron Jones, Cameron Gannon
Biggest Arm: Subham Ranjane
Power Hitter: Quinton de Kock
Speed Demon: Cameron Gannon
Spin Wizard: Harmeet Singh Baddhan
The Seattle Orcas are headed by a lead investing group that includes some heavy hitters. The likes of Satya Nadella (Chairman and CEO of Microsoft), Sanjay Parthasarathy (a former senior executive at Microsoft and Avalara), and Soma Somasegar (Managing Director of Madrona Ventures) form just some of the contingent charged with bringing success to the North Western-based outfit. The IPL's Delhi Capitals have also bought a stake in the franchise.
As starts go, they've made a good one! Persuading Australian legend Mitchell Marsh and South African firecracker Quinton de Kock to join their franchise is a stellar bit of business. The latter hit a 43-ball ton to help the Proteas chase down a record Twenty20 international score against the West Indies recently. He reached his half-century in just 15 balls to become the fastest South African to reach the milestone in a Twenty20 international innings.
Australian-American speedster Cameron Gannon is also a clever signing, and there appears to be a healthy balance to the Orcas.
Prediction: Runners-up.
Texas Super Kings
Texas Super Kings logo
Coach: Stephen Fleming
Main Overseas Stars: Sami Aslam, Milind Kumar
Main US-based Stars: Rusty Theron, Cameron Stevenson
Biggest Arm: Lahiru Milantha
Power Hitter: Lahiru Milantha
Speed Demon: Calvin Savage
Spin Wizard: Milind Kumar
The most successful team in IPL history, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), are owners of the Dallas-based outfit. They will be led by ex-New Zealand captain and long-serving Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming, who has steered his team to four IPL titles since being appointed to head coach.
Despite the acquisition of Stephen Fleming as head coach, there is little by way of big names in the draft for Texan Super Kings followers to get too excited by. Expect them to announce some more overseas acquisitions the closer we get to the tournament's launch date.
Keep an eye on Rusty Theoron - the ex-South African international turned USA cricket player has 18 ODI caps and 13 T20I caps for the Proteas, taking over 50 wickets combined across both formats. He's got a lot of nous and could prove an intelligent pick-up in an otherwise uninspiring first draft for the Super Kings.
Prediction: Playoffs
Washington Freedom
Washington Freedom logo
Coach: TBC
Main Overseas Stars: Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Dane Piedt, Saad Ali
Main US-based Stars: Saurabh Netravalkar
Biggest Arm: Andries Gous
Power Hitter: Saad Ali
Speed Demon: Anrich Nortje
Spin Wizard: Wanindu Hasaranga
Cricket New South Wales is one of the chief investors of Washington Freedom, and the Australian sporting dynasty will be in charge of providing specialist training, coaching, and equipment in the run-up to the tournament. They are also heading up the recruitment department and have already made some eye-catching signings.
In Wanindu Hasaranga, they have one of the world's foremost and sought-after slow bowlers. The arid conditions in Texas should help provide turning decks for the Sri Lankan spin wizard to weave his magic, and his presence alone in the Washington squad is enough to put them in the conversation at the end of the campaign.
Watch out too for the steep bounce and express pace from lanky South African international Anrich Nortje. He could be worth a cheeky outside bet to finish the top wicket-taker of the entire tournament!
Prediction: Playoffs