The schedule for Major League Cricket (MLC)'s 2024 season has been unveiled. The United States-based T20 league will feature six more league matches than last season, and the four-game playoff series will be hosted in Grand Prairie, Texas. The league commences on July 5 and ends on July 28. (Full IPL Coverage | More Cricket News)
The second MLC edition will begin with two matches on July 5th. MLC’s reigning champions MI New York will first face off against 2023 runners-up Seattle Orcas at Church Street Park in Morrisville. New York's line-up features West Indian batter Kieron Pollard, while Seattle have South African duo Wayne Parnell and Quinton de Kock in their midst.
In the second game, the Texas Super Kings, spearheaded by another South African Faf du Plessis, will take on West Indian off-spinner Sunil Narine’s LA Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.
The opening weekend also features Washington Freedom (who have Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and coach Ricky Ponting) facing MI New York on July 6. The San Francisco Unicorns, bolstered by hard-hitting opening New Zealand batter Finn Allen, will host the LA Knight Riders on July 7 at Grand Prairie Stadium.
Major League Cricket’s CEO Vijay Srinivasan said: "We are incredibly excited to unveil the schedule for the 2024 season. This promises to be our most thrilling season yet, with each of the MLC’s six teams actively recruiting in the off-season, adding a host of world-class player signings to their team rosters with more big names to be soon announced.
“With some of world cricket’s biggest current stars and seasoned veterans involved, including the likes of athletic Jamaican allrounder Andre Russell, New Zealand’s left-arm quick, Trent Boult, 2023 MLC Finals MVP Nicholas Pooran, Afghanistan's superstar spinner, Rashid Khan, together with cricketing royalty in coaches Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and Stephen Fleming, it demonstrates the depth of talent being attracted to the league.”
Apart from the high-octane action on the field, MLC aims to support the long-term infrastructure to foster the growth of localized cricket communities while strengthening cricket’s presence in the US.
“Last year, we unveiled MLC at the newly upgraded Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, and the brand new Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, which will both once again co-host the 2024 tournament, building on the impact of season one in those communities,” Srinivasan said.
“These venues will deliver world-class pitches and a vibrant atmosphere to support the overall MLC fan experience. Moreover, we are committed to exploring expansion opportunities with new cricket venues to support our six teams’ growing American fanbase,” he added.
Tickets for all MLC 2024 matches will go on sale in the coming weeks and can be bought on the official Major League Cricket website.
