By Tim Douglas 
The Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 season is set for a major shakeup as Australian stars Travis Head and Pat Cummins have opted out of the tournament. Head, who played a pivotal role in Washington Freedom’s title-winning campaign last season, had already hinted at prioritizing Test cricket and limiting himself to only two franchise leagues per year. Meanwhile, Cummins’ absence is primarily due to Australia’s upcoming Test series in the West Indies, making him unavailable despite his multi-year contract with San Francisco Unicorns.
Washington Freedom’s Strong Retention Core
Despite losing Head, Washington Freedom has retained a strong squad, including Australian legend Steven Smith, although his availability remains uncertain due to Australia’s red-ball commitments. The defending champions have retained the highest number of domestic and international players, ensuring depth in their squad.
Returning International Stars: Glenn Maxwell (Australia), Jack Edwards (Australia), Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand)
Released Players: Travis Head, Akeal Hosein, Andrew Tye
Freedom will look to build on last season’s momentum and defend their title with a well-balanced squad.
San Francisco Unicorns Hit by Australian Absences
The Unicorns face a tough season ahead as they will be without Pat Cummins and Josh Inglis, both missing out due to Australia’s Test duties. However, the franchise still boasts a power-packed top order featuring:
Jake Fraser-McGurk
Matthew Short
Finn Allen
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf is the only retained player from his country, marking him as the lone Pakistani in MLC 2025.
MI New York Makes Bold Calls
In one of the biggest surprises, MI New York has parted ways with Tim David, continuing their disengagement after releasing him from their IPL and SA20 squads. However, the biggest shock was the release of:
Kagiso Rabada
Dewald Brevis (a key player in MI Emirates’ recent SA20 title win)
Despite these bold decisions, MI New York has retained its star power, keeping:
Kieron Pollard
Nicholas Pooran
Rashid Khan
Trent Boult
These retentions ensure that MI New York remains one of the strongest teams in MLC 2025.
Seattle Orcas Reshuffle International Contingent
Seattle Orcas are making big international squad changes, opting to retain only:
Ryan Rickelton (South Africa)
Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa)
This decision marks a shift in strategy as the Orcas have released Quinton de Kock after two seasons, alongside six other foreign players, including:
Michael Bracewell
Nandre Burger
Orcas will now look to rebuild their squad with fresh international talent.
Texas Super Kings Stick with Experience
Faf du Plessis will be just shy of 41 when he steps onto the field for the Texas Super Kings once again. The tournament’s leading run-scorer last season, du Plessis is expected to captain the side once more.
Returning alongside him:
Marcus Stoinis (Australia)
Devon Conway (New Zealand)
However, the Super Kings have cut down on their overseas contingent, releasing:
Mitchell Santner
Daryl Mitchell
Naveen-ul-Haq
Aiden Markram
With a leaner foreign squad, Texas will likely target new international stars in the upcoming draft.
LA Knight Riders Overhaul Foreign Players
After failing to make the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, Los Angeles Knight Riders have taken drastic steps to revamp their overseas roster.
Retained Stars:
Sunil Narine
Andre Russell
Spencer Johnson
Major Exits:
Jason Roy (ending his multi-year MLC contract)
David Miller
Alex Carey
Shakib Al Hasan
Josh Little
Knight Riders are expected to aggressively rebuild in the upcoming player auctions to bolster their squad.
Key Takeaways from MLC 2025 Retentions & Releases
Travis Head & Pat Cummins skip MLC due to Test cricket commitments
Washington Freedom retains a strong squad despite losing Head
San Francisco Unicorns hit hard by Australian absences
MI New York releases Tim David, Kagiso Rabada & Dewald Brevis
Seattle Orcas, LA Knight Riders & Texas Super Kings make major international changes
What’s Next?
With several marquee players released, the upcoming MLC 2025 draft will be crucial for franchises to fill key gaps and strengthen their squads. The league is set for a fresh new dynamic, with new stars expected to take center stage.
Zainab Shafiq