In a historic move for cricket in the United States of America (USA), the country is set to host its first-ever franchise cricket league involving international stars. Major League Cricket (MLC) is scheduled to take place from July 13 to 30, marking a major step in the promotion of cricket in a nation where Baseball and Basketball reign supreme.
With the backing of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises and the USA’s technology and media sectors, MLC is poised to make a big impact and compete with established franchise cricket leagues around the world. An investment of $120 million has been made in the league, which allows teams to maintain a healthy salary cap for players. The salary cap per team is set to be slightly above $1.1 million, giving MLC the resources to compete with the likes of Australia’s Big Bash, England and Wales’ The Hundred, and UAE’s ILT20.
Star local and foreign players were the center of attention in the first phase of the player draft for the inaugural edition of MLC. Pakistani players, including Sami Aslam, Hammad Azam, Ehsan Adil, Zia Shahzad, Mukhtar Ahmed, Saad Ali, and Saif Badaf, who traveled to the USA in search of a cricket career, were also selected in the draft. Hammad and Eshan were picked up by IPL franchise Mumbai Indians in their overseas team MI New York, while Sami and Zia will play for Texas Super Kings (owned by Chennai Super Kings), and Saif will feature in Bollywood star Sharukh Khan’s Los Angeles Knight Riders – an overseas team of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. Saad and Mukhtar will represent Washington Freedom in the tournament.
MLC will be the first-of-its-kind cricket tournament in America. Following the USA’s investment in cricket, this tournament will pave the way for shaping the sport’s future in the country. The franchise-based tournament will take place at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, with six franchises participating in the league. IPL franchise Mumbai Indians bought MI New York, while Shahrukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders have Los Angeles Knight Riders in MLC. Chennai Super Kings also confirmed their franchise Texas Super Kings in the league. The other franchises include Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, and Seattle Orcas.
The Major League Cricket (MLC) is a historic moment for cricket in the USA. With the backing of IPL franchises and the USA’s technology and media sectors, the league is expected to make a major impact and compete with other established franchise cricket leagues around the world. The inclusion of Pakistani players in the draft is also a significant step forward for the promotion of cricket in the USA. This franchise-based tournament has the potential to shape the future of cricket in America, and fans of the sport will undoubtedly be excited to see how the league develops over time.
