In the summer of 2007, my family moved to the United States. I was ten and had spent the previous three years playing cricket for my school in Mumbai. Cricket was the dream, and life revolved around it.
In Oklahoma, that structure simply did not exist. There were no school teams, no coaches, and no obvious place for a young cricketer to develop.
It became just my brother and me, sometimes joined by a couple of friends, playing makeshift Test cricket on a basketball court in the neighborhood park.
That absence is why Liam Plunkett’s work in America is worth paying attention to.
This piece looks at the second act of World Cup winner Liam Plunkett. No longer just a cricketer, he is now also a coach, commentator, businessman, and one of the driving forces behind grassroots cricket in the United States.
Investors often view the United States as a potential goldmine for cricket. Critics, on the other hand, point to administrative issues within USA cricket and dismiss the American market as a hopeless cause.
Both views hold some truth. The reality sits somewhere in the middle.
The launch of Major League Cricket (MLC) four years ago, the construction of new stadiums, and the arrival of international names such as Corey Anderson and Liam Plunkett helped jumpstart the conversation. Club cricket is already well established across major metropolitan areas, driven largely by expatriate communities. Journeys like Avinash’s in Iowa show the range of competitions that exist within American college and club cricket.
Liam Plunkett began his County career with Durham in 2003, shortly after turning eighteen.
He broke through quickly, taking 50 wickets in the 2005 season and earning an England call-up soon after that 2005 Ashes. County success followed, including a starring role in the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy and back-to-back County Championship titles in 2008 & 2009.
His international career, however, was far less linear. After his first stint with England in 2006-07, he went nearly seven years without a sustained run in the national side. Even then, he was a valuable contributor, an exceptional fielder and also featured in England’s highest 9th wicket ODI partnership with super-sub Vikram Solanki in just his 2nd ODI.
Things changed after 2016.
Plunkett re-emerged as a permanent fixture in England’s white-ball teams, first at the 2016 T20 World Cup, and then more decisively in ODI cricket. From 2016 to the 2019 ODI World Cup Final, he took 90 wickets in 53 innings at an average of 27.02, establishing himself as one of the game’s most reliable middle-overs bowlers.
He played a defining role in England’s 2019 World Cup win, finishing the tournament with 11 wickets. His spell of 10-0-42-3 in the final removed Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, and Jimmy Neesham, keeping England in the contest. Not to forget the 17-run crucial partnership with Ben Stokes in the tense chase.
Plunkett’s first act was shaped by adaptation, finding a role, refining it, and remaining relevant.
Dropped, But Not Done
As it would turn out, the World Cup Final was his last appearance in an England jersey. At the peak of his powers, Liam Plunkett was dropped with little communication. In his own words, “disappointment is an understatement.”
The pandemic soon followed, bringing international cricket to a halt. For a time, it was easy to assume that his career was over.
Then began the second act.
Plunkett’s wife is American, and Philadelphia had long been familiar territory. He spent a few months there each year even before his England exit. After the axe, he began playing Minor League with the Philadelphians, a team with deep historical ties to the American game.
When Major League Cricket followed, Plunkett became affiliated with the San Francisco Unicorns. What initially looked like a farewell began to resemble a transition instead.
Three years on, Plunkett is still playing in MLC, with at least one more professional season left in him. America has helped him to branch out further.
In an episode of Under the Lid by The Cricketer, Plunkett spoke how his involvement with the game has expanded well beyond playing. This has taken several forms:
Launching Beach Cricket Blast in partnership with the CPL in Barbados, designed to introduce the game to new and casual audiences
Co-hosting of That’s Cricket podcast with Adam Bannon, in collaboration with Jomboy Media, helping translate cricket for American sports fans
Starting Liam Plunkett Cricket (LPC) in partnership with Gameday Athletics with a focus on professionalizing coaching and training for young players. They have former English women cricket World Cup winner, Lauren Winfield Hill, and South African born MLC cricketer, Corne Dry, on their coaching staff.
When Plunkett signed for MLC, his role was not limited to playing in the Minor League and Major League. It also included a stint as a national development coach and coaching at the local academy level. That exposure made one gap impossible to ignore.
“In terms of the coach education, it never was there…And it sparked like…Why is there not a platform to coach coaches, to coach kids properly?…It’s our job to get kids strong and fit to complement their cricket skills…We want to help make cricketers healthy and fit, not just for cricket but also outside of cricket, healthy, faster, and stronger.”
– Liam plunkett
LPC is built around that gap. The focus is not only talent, but structure, helping young players learn correctly, and helping coaches learn how to teach.
Now in the US, Liam Plunkett is introducing a new generation to cricket & also helping coaches learn how to effectively teach it 👏
Another great example of a member enhancing their personal development during #FuturesMonth 👊
Technology, Training, and the American Sports Model
I recently got into golf and indoor soccer this year, and one thing stood out immediately: how central training infrastructure is to both sports.
Golf has invested heavily in technology from indoor simulators to tracking apps like TopTracer Range, used by both professionals and amateurs alike. Indoor soccer follows a similar model, with organizations such as TOCA Soccer offering year-round training, coaching, and leagues for kids.
These high performance training centers are essential to those sports develop talent. Cricket, by comparison, has largely lagged behind.
On That’s Cricket, Stuart Giles spoke about efforts to introduce indoor simulation facilities to the United States through Century Cricket, his company based in Australia working in partnership with Bangalore Tech Labs in India. Their simulators aim to allow cricketers to train year-around, regardless of weather. A training center has opened in Houston with another planned for Manhattan.
“If you put your Australia hat on, our best player and probably the key to our Ashes success, spends six months of the year in New York with nowhere where he can train or get better.”
Following Steve Smith’s journey in New York can further engage the audiences.
Jomboy, Baseball, and the American Fan
Infrastructure along is not enough. Awareness matters just as much.
For most Americans, cricket remains unfamiliar. That’s where platforms like Jomboy Media come in and help bridge the gap.
What began as a baseball podcast has grown into a full-scale media operation. His cricket breakdowns are iconic and the Warehouse Games, a hybrid format between cricket and baseball are bridging the gap between audiences. Plunkett’s Beach Cricket initiative featured Jomboy, and they have since collaborated on various podcasting gigs.
The intersection of audiences is where the future may lie in commercializing cricket in America.
How Can You Get Involved?
Liam Plunkett and his coaching staff cannot be everywhere. That is why LPC was designed to scale coaching across the US. At present, LPC offers two core pathways:
Rookie Player Course – Designed for beginners, this course covers the fundamentals of batting, bowling, wicketkeeping, and fielding.
Coaching Courses – This is for both Rookie Coach (Level 1) and Development Coach (Level 2). These courses are well suited for up and coming coaches that want to learn how to structure their sessions and to learn how to really coach cricket effectively.
For readers interested in exploring these programs, you can use code PlunkettBCD2025 to receive 20% off.
Disclosure:This is an affiliate link, which means we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our efforts in bringing you valuable content. Thank you for your support.
Here is a glimpse at what kind of online training you may receive.
Why This Second Act Matters
Liam Plunkett is still bowling bowling fast, and we may yet see one more season out of him sending down absolute rockets.
“82, 83 on a good day…I’m 41 next year. You know, I would love to actually bowl one more ball at 90 miles an hour. I’m not sure if I got it in my locker, but I’ll do my best training to get to that point.”
The story of Liam Plunkett has been one of re-invention, and I am excited to see what all he pursues behind the scenes in building American cricket.
These efforts will not on their own solve American cricket’s infrastructure problems, but at least, it is a start. It is a recognition that visibility, business investment, and grassroots programs are needed if cricket has any chance of surviving in the United States.
Perhaps 30 years from now,a kid in Oklahoma will fall in love with cricket the same way, but won’t have to stop there because coaching, facilities, and a pathway to pursue the dream will already exist.
****
Thank you all for reading! I’ll leave you with this, Liam Plunkett rattling the stumps.
Do you know how many undergraduate collegiate varsity cricket teams exist in the United States?
ONE.
You read that right. Haverford College in Pennsylvania is the only American institution that has an official varsity cricket team (more on them later).
As we learned from Avinash’s journey earlier, America has numerous cricket clubs across the country. In addition, there is the National College Cricket Association and the American College Cricket League. However, neither are officially affiliated with USA’s official body to regulate university sport, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
If cricket has any chance of survival and wants to be considered a professional sport in the USA, it has to make an effort to become a part of the NCAA sporting fraternity.
What is the NCAA?
The NCAA is a member-led non-profit organization that regulates university sports in the United States.
In the 1904 American college football season, 18 college athletes died and another 159 were injured.
Something had to be done.
So, President Theodore Roosevelt called upon the major universities to regulate football. Several athletic leaders met, 62 colleges signed the inaugural charter, and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) was born, which would later be renamed as the NCAA in 1910.
In 1973, NCAA’s current structure of Division I-III sports was established.
In 2022, Division I NCAA institutions reported a revenue of $17.5 billion, $11.2 billion of which was generated by the athletic departments themselves and $6.3 billion came from government and student fees.
In the same year, Division I institutions also reported spending$17.1 billion. $3 billion of which were spent on student financial aid and $3.3 billion was spent on coach compensation.
Apart from student financial aid and coach compensation, NCAA helps fund sports camps, facilities, medical, recruiting, game travel, etc.
Note: This is only Division I data. More money is spend overall in NCAA sports if we also consider Division II & III.
How NCAA Include a New Sport?
I wanted to learn how a new sport can become a part of the NCAA program.
The Emerging Sports Program for Women is one such program that aims to provide more athletic opportunities for women and can help a new sport achieve NCAA championship status.
The Emerging Sports Program for Women
To learn how cricket can be part of the NCAA, I reached out to the NCAA themselves and asked the following questions:
What is the process for a sport to become NCAA recognized?
What is the timeline like, and is there data available for how long it took each sport to complete the NCAA eligibility (both men’s and women’s)?
Has any organization applied for cricket to become a NCAA sport?
According to the Associate Director of Communications of the NCAA,
“Any sport can be considered” to be a part of the NCAA. However, she had not yet “heard of [cricket’s] application for the emerging sports program.”
After a sporting organization submits the initial application,
“The Committee on Women’s Athletics will review the proposal to determine if it is granted entrance to the Emerging Sports for Women program.”
How Can An Emerging Sport Reach NCAA Championship Status?
At least 20 NCAA active members must sponsor the sport at varsity or club level
These members need to demonstrate at least 5 intercollegiate contests during an academic year
At least 10 letters of commitment are needed from members to sponsor the sport at the varsity level in the year under review
The institution’s chancellor/president, the director of athletics, and senior women administrator must sign the commitment
Supporting materials for the application include:
Budget, Roster size, full-time/part-time coaches, description of facilities, competition opportunities, ‘relationship with sport governing body/organization’
Suggested NCAA regulations (Playing Rules, Financial Aid limits, etc.)
Data (Injury Rates, Health/Safety, Ethnicity/Race, High school participation rates, etc.)
The organization can also submit additional documents from the U.S. Olympic/Paralympic committees, professional sport organizations, etc.
A sport has 10 years from the time it becomes an emerging women’s sport to get to 40 active members, after which it can apply for the NCAA championship status.
What is the Application Process?
A representative of the national governing body must submit an interest form and an official application. Applications open between May 1-August 1 each year, and a sport can apply every two years if is not accepted.
Her final question to me was,
“Have you worked with the governing body for Cricket in the U.S.?
I have not yet worked with the governing body for Cricket in the U.S., but if we are serious about making a collective push for cricket to be included in the NCAA, one of us has to reach out to USA cricket and officially apply for the Emerging Sports program.
Beach volleyball (2015), bowling (2003), water polo (2000), ice hockey (1996), and rowing (1996) have all achieved NCAA championship status recently. Women’s wrestling is on track to become the next one.
Currently, acrobatics & tumbling, equestrian, rugby, stunt, and triathlon are other sports to have become part of the emerging program.
According to an ESPN article, Haverford’s “cricket team also has a unique quirk: It’s the only collegiate varsity team in the country.”
Cricket has a rich history at Haverford College dating back to the 1850s. Kamran Khan, a former Pakistan and USA player, has helped coach the team and increase its popularity in recent decades.
Final Thoughts: Are Things Moving in the Right Direction for USA Cricket?
Apart from USA cricket’s administrative issues, cricket seems to be moving in the right direction in America.
Major League Cricket (MLC) has had a couple of successful season, US co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup World Cup, and cricket is now a part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Support from the Indian diaspora, IPL teams, and Australian partnerships have all proved to be fruitful, and the MLC has largely avoided going the way of previous failed attempts to bring cricket to the US.
The initial impetus has been provided, but it has still not become a part of the general American sporting experience.
Lots of promising players are coming up in the American circuit. However, if financial aid, proper facilities, and incentive to continue playing cricket are not provided, talent may switch to other sports.
Therefore, if cricket has to succeed or even stay remotely relevant in the American market, it has to break through the American college market first.
****
That was my tidbits, what do you think should be done to grow cricket in America? Comment below and share ahead. Thanks for reading!
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July 27, 2004, Democratic National Convention—A relatively unknown American politician steps out on the field and delivers a rousing keynote address to capture the attention of the world.
Political commentators Robert Lehrman and Michael A. Cohen later mention that back in 2004, this leader
“was totally unknown. People were saying, ‘I don’t know who this guy is, wonder why they picked him…No one knew who this guy was. This was his chance to introduce himself to people.”
Before the World Cup, Team USA was totally unknown. People were saying, ‘I don’t know why they held the World Cup in USA…(why did they build a random temporary stadium in New York with bad pitches and dangerous outfields)…No one knew the potential of this team. This was America’s chance to introduce themselves to fans.
But this moment, a convincing victory against Pakistan, may well go down in folklore as the day cricket in America changed.
(Side Note: Only Pakistan can light up a tournament in such Pakistan fashion and open the tournament alive with this loss. Won’t be surprised if they come back and end up winning the whole thing as only Pakistan know how to do).
USA STUNS PAKISTAN AT THE MEN’S T20 CRICKET WORLD CUP 🚨
ESPNCricinfo’s article on Monank Patel, Noshtush Kenjige, and Nitish Kumar shines a light on some other American dreams.
If Saurabh Netravalkar, who had figures of 2-18 and bowled USA to victory in the super over vs Pakistan, wasn't disgustingly talented enough — ( He is an engineer at Oracle and an MS in CS from Cornell University.) he's also a damn fine ukelele player. (video from his insta) pic.twitter.com/vEErMccyXX
The squad is well balanced. They have plenty of bowling options spearheaded by the fearless Ali Khan, players with international experience, IPL experience, Major League Cricket stars, and homegrown talent from the minor leagues. The top order is so strong that Unmukt Chand, India’s victorious 2012 U-19 captain, did not find a place.
Team USA’s current T20 World Cup squad include South Africans, Kiwis, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis, Indians.
But at the end of the day, that is the beauty of America. A melting pot, a salad bowl, whatever fits your boat.
Regardless of where you come from, the United States of America is a land that provides opportunity to all. An opportunity to excel.
A place where you can build your own American story.
Cricket Wins Despite ICC’s Shambolic Marketing
After one week, there were doubts on whether this World Cup will be successful or not.
Grueling travel schedules for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, an untested pitch & outfield that has the potential to cause major injuries, several sub-100 T20 scores, empty stadiums, overpriced tickets, TV schedules that defy logic, a World Cup scheduled during the NBA Finals, broadcast access only from WillowTV (channel most Americans have not even heard of), and shambolic marketing by the ICC.
I missed the entirety of the USA-Pakistan despite residing in the same timezone as Dallas because the match was scheduled during work hours at 10:30 AM. Apart from a couple of news reports, the acquisition of Usain Bolt as a brand ambassador, and local awareness in the New York-New Jersey and Dallas-areas, there has not been much marketing of note. None of my friends are aware that the US is even hosting a Cricket World Cup.
Yet the cricket has succeeded.
We have already seen two Super Overs, a lovely Ugandan story, and Oman shackling Australia. Never again shall we go back to less than a 20-team World Cup. Please.
A few of my non-cricketing friends here reached out after the US victory today, sharing articles and tweets with me! Good cricket, word of mouth, and a bit of social media is doing its magic!
Local Coverage Gives Cricket a Boost on Social Media
Walked all around Manhattan, even past Macy’s, looking for some sort of parade for the big USA win over Pakistan but there was none & then saw these four important looking people talk about it on the big screen in Times Square & it was all worth it #T20WorldCup#TeamUSApic.twitter.com/dfKmgLUxj7
Peter has been traveling around the States for the World Cup, interviewing fans, providing live traffic information, etc. In some cases, he exposes the ticket pricing issues:
Met Jagan Vinyagam, 48, originally from Chennai but living in NJ for last 20 years. Paid $350 for a "premium" ticket, only to be randomly assigned to last row, top of the stadium, section 247. He feels like he got scammed. "there was no transparency in the ticket buying process." pic.twitter.com/UGC1zYRmgn
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 5, 2024
At other times, he conveys stories of new fans entering the game.
Met Dima Yakubovich, 47 from San Fran. Watching first cricket match in person in Texas . Got into cricket 18 months ago stumbling across "83" on Netflix. Favorite player is Shubman Gill. Having a blast. He's staying through Sunday to watch SF Giants play Texas Rangers on Sat/Sun. pic.twitter.com/cmc6cLTRc4
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 6, 2024
Finally, we get to see how the crowd’s reactions ranging from Nepal’s thunderous audience to the empty stands during an India game in New York.
Here's the scene for USA v Pakistan in Texas. About 6000 fans in here, but definitely some empty pockets of seats, including all the highest priced tickets above and behind the team dugouts. Crowd not nearly as large or as vibrant as the Nepal match on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/uHFvC5tmHt
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 6, 2024
Hope in the face of Uncertainty
We can cherish today as the day USA Cricket Team achieved its first American cricket dream. Hopefully, first of many.
Honestly speaking, two years ago, I was skeptical of the initiatives in the American cricket circuit. However, a successful 2023 MLC and a strong showing in this World Cup from Team USA has given me a glimmer of hope.
Selling cricket to Americans is difficult. Not because of comparisons with baseball (that is a story for another day), but because of the numerous other sport options the American public has. Cricket is not yet mature enough to compete in the American market, but David-Goliath stories like today definitely help in making a case.
Obama concludes his speech by saying that
“My story is part of the larger American story…and in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.”
Similarly, the journey of Team USA’s cricket team is just like any other American story.
“The hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores….The Hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him too…Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope.”
We don’t know if cricket will succeed or fail in the US, but if there is any place where we can hope that such an audacious experiment has a slight chance of succeeding, it is the United States of America.
****
America, Pakistan, Obama. But in a cricket context. Now you didn’t expect that, did you?
That’s what we like to do here. Cricket, but slightly outside the box.
Anyways, thanks for reading and thank you for your time.
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Major League Cricket Schedule is now live, and we bring you the latest information—Schedule, Fixtures, Tickets, Venues, and more!
Let’s get right to it!
Where Will Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023 be Played?
Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023 will be played in the Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas & Church Street Park, North Carolina.
The tournament will be divided into 3 rounds. The first round (8 matches) and Playoff/Finals (4 matches) will be played at the Grand Prairie Stadium, while the second round (7 matches) will be played at Church Street Park.
How Many Matches Will be Played in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023?
19 matches will be played in the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC). 15 matches will be group matches while 4 matches will be playoffs & the championship final.
Each team will be 5 matches (round-robin format between the 6 teams).
Where Can I buy tickets for Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023?
After one day break, Round 2 of MLC 2023 will be held in North Carolina.
Matches in Round 2 (07/20/2023-07/25/2023) can be purchased as ‘Round 2 Pass’ package starting from $73.
Where is Church Street Park cricket stadium located?
The Church Streek Park cricket stadium is located at 5800 Cricket Pitch Way, Morrisville, North Carolina.
Is parking available at Church Street Park?
Free parking is available nearby (offsite with an option of free shuttle to the stadium).
All times for this location below are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
Major League Cricket 2023 – Round 2 Fixtures
9. Washington Freedom vs LA Knight Riders, 20 July 2023
Day: Thursday
Time: 5:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $15
Venue: Church Street Park
10. Seattle Orcas vs Texas Super Kings, 21 July 2023
Day: Friday
Time: 5:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $15
Venue: Church Street Park
11. Washington Freedom vs SF Unicorns, 22 July 2023
Day: Saturday
Time: 3:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $15
Venue: Church Street Park
12. LA Knight Riders vs Seattle Orcas, 23 July 2023
Day: Sunday
Time: 1:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $23 (for both the double-header games)
Venue: Church Street Park
13. MI New York vs Washington Freedom, 23 July 2023
Day: Saturday
Time: 5:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $23 (for both the double-header games)
Venue: Church Street Park
14. SF Unicorns vs Texas Super Kings, 24 July 2023
Day: Monday
Time: 5:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $12
Venue: Church Street Park
15. MI New York vs Seattle Orcas, 25 July 2023
Day: Tuesday
Time: 5:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $12
Venue: Church Street Park
Major League Cricket Round 3 – The Playoffs & Championship
Matches in Round 3 (Playoffs & Championship) of Major League Cricket 2023 can be purchased together as a ‘Playoffs & Championship Pass’ package starting from $106.
Major League Cricket 2023 – Round 3 Fixtures
16. Eliminator, 27 July 2023
Day: Thursday
Time: 3:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $51 (for both the double-header games)
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium
17. Qualifier, 27 July 2023
Day: Thursday
Time: 7:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $51 (for both the double-header games)
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium
18. Challenger, 28 July 2023
Day: Friday
Time: 7:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $36
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium
The Loser of the Qualifier will play the Winner of the Eliminator in this match.
Major League Cricket 2023 – The Finals
19. Championship, 30 July 2023
Day: Sunday
Time: 7:30 PM
Ticket Price (starting from): $45
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium
Major League Cricket Schedule – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many matches will be played in Major League Cricket 2023 in the USA?
19 matches will be played in Major League Cricket 2023.
Which cricket stadiums will host MLC 2023?
The Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and Church Street Park cricket stadium in North Carolina will host Major League Cricket 2023.
How many matches will each team play in Major League Cricket?
Major League Cricket will be played in a round-robin format with each team playing 5 matches each.
How much do Major League Cricket tickets cost?
Major League Tickets cost as low as $12 and range to as high as $200 for multiple-match packages.
What are the names of Major League Cricket teams? Who are the owners of MLC teams in the USA? Which IPL teams are the Major League Cricket teams affiliated with?
We will answer all of these burning questions for you today.
Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom are the six teams that will compete in the three-week Major League Cricket (MLC) T20 tournament to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in July 2023.
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Key Takeaways
The average age of Major League Cricket players is 29.
From the 54 domestic players in the MLC draft, 19 players were from Indian origin (2 born in USA, 17 born in India), 12 are from South Africa, 11 from Pakistan, 3 Australia, 3 Sri Lanka, 2 USA, 2 West Indies, 1 New Zealand, 1 England, and 1 UAE.
4 Major League Cricket teams are affiliated with IPL teams (LA Knight Riders, MI New York, Seattle Orcas (with Delhi capitals), and Texas Super Kings.
2 Major League Cricket teams are partnered with Australian domestic sides (San Francisco Unicorns – with Cricket Victoria, Washington DC Freedom – with New South Wales)
List of Major League Cricket Teams
1. Los Angeles Knight Riders
Home Ground: Orange County Stadium (planning stage)
IPL Franchise: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Owners: Knight Riders Group
LA Knight Riders Complete Squad
Unmukt Chand, Ali Sheikh, Nitish Kumar, Corne Dry, Jaskaran Malhotra, Saif Badar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Bhaskar Yadram
LA Knight Riders Overseas Players
Jason Roy (England), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill (New Zealand), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine (West Indies), Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Adam Zampa (Australia)
Wildcard: Gajanand Singh
Coaches
Coaches: Phil Simmons (Head Coach), Ryan Ten Doeschate (Assistant Coach), Bharat Arun (Bowling Coach)
Support Staff: Sagar VM (Strength & Conditioning), Prasanth Panchada (Physio), Ruel Rigsby (Physio), AR Srikkanth (Analyst), Wayne Bentley (Team Manager)
2. MI New York
Home Ground: New York Oval – New York, Marine Park – Brooklyn, Spring Creek Park – Queens, Aqueduct Racetrack – Queens (shortlisted – planning stage)
Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Tim David, Jason Behrendorff (Australia), Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), David Wiese (Namibia), Trent Boult (New Zealand)
Coaches
Coaches: Robin Peterson (Head Coach), Lasith Malinga (Bowling Coach), James Pamment (Fielding Coach), J Arun Kumar (Batting Coach)
Support Staff: Pratik Kadam (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Amit Shah (Sports Massage Therapist), Murtaza Hussain (Assistant Fielding Coach), Jason Pilgrim (Physiotherapist), Rushi Shahiwala (Assistant Physiotherapist), L Varun (Data Performance Manager)
3. San Francisco Unicorns
Home Ground: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Stadium – San Jose, California (planning stage)
IPL Franchise: None (affilated with Cricket Victoria, Australia)
Owners: Anand Rajaraman, Venky Harinarayan
SF Unicorns Complete Unicorns Squad
Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Tajinder Singh, Chaitanya Bishnoi, Brody Couch, David White, Smit Patel, Sanjay Krishnmurthi, Carmi Le Roux
Wildcard: Amila Aponso
SF Unicorns Overseas Players
Aaron Finch*, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mackenzie Harvey (Australia), Lungi Ngidi (South Africa), Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), Finn Allen (New Zealand), Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
Shane Watson (Coach)
*captain
4. Seattle Orcas
Home Ground: Marymoor Park – Redmond, Washington (planning stage)
Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), Daniel Sams (Australia), Faf du Plessis*, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee (South Africa), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), Ambati Rayudu (India)
Texas Super Kings Coaches
Coaches: Stephen Fleming (Head Coach), Eric Simons (Assistant Coach), Albie Morkel (Assistant Coach), Russell Radhakrishnan (Team Manager)
Support Staff: Gregory King (Strength & Conditioning), Lakshmi Narayanan (High Performance Analyst), Tommy Simsek (Physiotherapist)
6. Washington (DC) Freedom
Home Ground: George Mason University
IPL Franchise: None (Affiliated with Cricket New South Wales, Australia)
Moises Henriques*, Ben Dwarshuis, Tanveer Sangha (Australia), Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen (South Africa), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne (New Zealand)
*captain
Bowling Coach: Dale Steyn
For other articles for cricket in America and Major League Cricket (MLC), check out the following:
Major League Cricket – MLC 2023 Draft: List of Players (As It Happened)
The nine rounds of draft picks are summarized below. Since most players are from foreign origin or have changed nationalities late in their careers, the country of origin and age is added to the name.
Note, a tenth ‘Wildcard’ pick will be determined from the 2023 Minor League Cricket season.
MLC Draft Round 1 ($75,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Harmeet Singh
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
30
Andries Gous
Washington Freedom
Seattle Thunderbolts
South Africa
29
Steven Taylor
MI New York
Atlanta Fire
USA
29
Corey Anderson
San Francisco Unicorns
Irving Mustangs
New Zealand
32
Ali Khan
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Houston Hurricanes
Pakistan
32
Rusty Theron
Texas Super Kings
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
37
MLC Draft Round 2 ($65,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Calvin Savage
Texas Super Kings
Chicago Tigers
South Africa
30
Unmukt Chand
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Silicon Valley Strikers
India
29
Liam Plunkett
San Francisco Unicorns
The Philadelphians
England
37
Hammad Azam
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
32
Mukhtar Ahmed
Washington Freedom
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
30
Shehan Jayasuriya
Seattle Orcas
Silicon Valley Strikers
Sri Lanka
31
MLC Draft Round 3 ($50,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Shubham Ranjane
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
28
Obus Pienaar
Washington Freedom
Morrisville Raptors
South Africa
33
Ehsan Adil
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
30
Tajinder Singh
San Francisco Unicorns
Kingsmen
India
30
Jaskaran Malhotra
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Morrisville Raptors
India
33
Lahiru Milantha
Texas Super Kings
Morrisville Raptors
Sri Lanka
28
MLC Draft Round 4 ($40,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Milind Kumar
Texas Super Kings
The Philadelphians
India
32
Nitish Kumar
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Lone Star Athletics
India
28
Chaitanya Bishnoi
San Francisco Unicorns
Kingsmen
India
28
Nosthush Kenjige
MI New York
Irving Mustangs
India (born in USA, family from India)
32
Saurabh Netravalkar
Washington Freedom
Silicon Valley Strikers
India
31
Cameron Gannon
Seattle Orcas
–
Australia
34
MLC Draft Round 5 ($35,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Aaron Jones
Seattle Orcas
Atlanta Fire
USA
28
Saad Ali
Washington Freedom
Michigan Cricket Stars
Pakistan
29
Monank Patel
MI New York
Empire State Titans
India
29
Carmi Le Roux
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
29
Corne Dry
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Atlanta Fire
South Africa
30
Sami Aslam
Texas Super Kings
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
27
MLC Draft Round 6 ($25,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Cameron Stevenson
Texas Super Kings
–
Australia
30
Ali Sheikh
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Irving Mustangs
USA (born in Doha)
20
Brody Couch
San Francisco Unicorns
Atlanta Fire
Australia
23
Sarbjeet Singh Ladda
MI New York
DC Hawks
India
36
Dane Piedt
Washington Freedom
Morrisville Raptors
South Africa
33
Nauman Anwar
Seattle Orcas
Michigan Cricket Stars
Pakistan
27
MLC Draft Round 7 ($15,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Phani Simhadri
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
31
Sujith Gowda
Washington Freedom
Irving Mustangs
India
26
Shayan Jahangir
MI New York
Lone Star Athletics
Pakistan
31
David White
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
31
Saif Badar
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
24
Cody Chetty
Texas Super Kings
Hollywood Master Blasters
South Africa
31
MLC Draft Round 8 ($10,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Zia Shahzad
Texas Super Kings
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
26
Shadley Van Schalkwyk
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Seattle Thunderbolts
South Africa
34
Smit Patel
San Francisco Unicorns
Manhattan Yorkers
India
29
Usman Rafiq*
MI New York
Houston Hurricanes
Pakistan
34
Kyle Phillip
MI New York
Atlanta Lightning
West Indies (Trinidad)
26
Justin Dill
Washington Freedom
St. Louis Americans
South Africa
28
Angelo Perera
Seattle Orcas
East Bay Blazers
Sri Lanka
33
*Usman Rafiq no longer shows up on MLC website but Kyle Phillip does (maybe Phillip is a replacement for Rafiq).
MLC Draft Round 9 ($2,500)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Matthew Tromp
Seattle Orcas
Houston Hurricanes
South Africa
18
Akhilesh Bodugum
Washington Freedom
Atlanta Fire
India
22
Saideep Ganesh
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
India
22
Sanjay Krishnamurthi
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
India
19
Bhaskar Yadram
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Manhattan Yorkers
West Indies (Guyana)
23
Saiteja Mukkamalla
Texas Super Kings
New Jersey Stallions
USA (Indian origin)
18
Frequently Asked Questions – Major League Cricket Teams
How many teams will play in Major League Cricket 2023?
Six teams will play in Major League Cricket 2023 – Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington (DC) Freedom.
Where will Major League Cricket 2023 be held?
Major League Cricket 2023 will be held in Grand Prairie, Texas (near Dallas).
When will Major League Cricket 2023 be held?
Major League Cricket 2023 will be held between July 13-July 30th.
Today we will discuss the salary of a Major League Cricket player in the USA.
When it comes to professional sports in America, we often think of baseball, basketball, and football as the top dogs.
But there’s a new player in town that’s been gaining international attention: Cricket. Major League Cricket has been making waves in the sports world, especially with the growing popularity of T20 cricket. However, there’s one question on every cricket fan’s mind: just how much do these players make?
MLC Cricketer Salary – By the Numbers
The average salary of a Major League Cricket player (MLC) is $60,526 (maximum 19 players in squad with a purse of $1.15 million).
The average salary for a domestic Major League cricketer is $39,375 ($315,000 purse for a total of 8 domestic players). The average salary for an overseas MLC cricketer is $92,200 ($830,000 for nine overseas slots).
About $320,000 from the $1.15 million will be spent on the ten domestic players. Hence, $830,000 is remaining in the purse of each team to sign the nine overseas players. Note, that this amount may be skewed. According to a Daily Mail report, Jason Roy has been offered 300,000 pounds ($372,000) on a 2-year contract ($186,000/year). This means that LA Knight Riders, who signed Jason Roy, will be left with about $644,000 for their remaining 8 overseas signing (for an average of $80,500 per overseas player).
Major League Cricket (MLC) – How Much Was Each Draft Pick?
The Major League Cricket (MLC) draft was held earlier this year in the NASA Space Center in Houston.
The draft picks ranged from $10,000 (8th round pick) to $75,000 (1st round pick). Rookies were drafted in the 9th round (reportedly around $2,500) and an additional tenth player will be picked for each team following the Minor League Cricket (MiLC) season preceding the MLC.
Draft Pick
Salary Amount
Round 1
$75,000
Round 2
$65,000
Round 3
$50,000
Round 4
$40,000
Round 5
$35,000
Round 6
$25,000
Round 7
$15,000
Round 8
$10,000
MLC 2023 Draft Picks – Salary of Major League Cricket Player
1. First Round Draft Pick ($75,000)
Harmeet Singh (Seattle Orcas), Andries Gous (Washington Freedom), Steven Taylor (MI New York), Corey Anderson (San Francisco Unicorns), Ali Khan (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Rusty Theron (Texas Super Kings)
2. Second Round Draft Pick ($65,000)
Shehan Jayasuriya (Seattle Orcas), Mukhtar Ahmed (Washington Freedom), Hammad Azam (MI New York), Liam Plunkett (San Francisco Unicorns), Unmukt Chand (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Calvin Salvage (Texas Super Kings)
3. Third Round Draft Pick ($50,000)
Shubham Ranjane (Seattle Orcas), Obus Pienaar (Washington Freedom), Ehsan Adil (MI New York), Tajinder Singh (San Francisco Unicorns), Jaskaran Malhotra (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Lahiru Milantha (Texas Super Kings)
4. Fourth Round Draft Pick ($40,000)
Cameron Gannon (Seattle Orcas), Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom), Nosthush Kenjige (MI New York), Chaitanya Bishnoi (San Francisco Unicorns), Nitish Kumar (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Milind Kumar (Texas Super Kings)
5. Fifth Round Draft Pick ($35,000)
Aaron Jones (Seattle Orcas), Saad Ali (Washington Freedom), Monank Patel (MI New York), Carmi Le Roux (San Francisco Unicorns), Corne Dry (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Sami Aslam (Texas Super Kings)
6. Sixth Round Draft Pick ($25,000)
Nauman Anwar (Seattle Orcas), Dane Piedt (Washington Freedom), Sarbjeet Singh Ladda (MI New York), Brody Couch (San Francisco Unicorns), Ali Sheikh (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Cameron Stevenson (Texas Super Kings)
7. Seventh Round Draft Pick ($15,000)
Phani Simhadri (Seattle Orcas), Sujith Gowda (Washington Freedom), Shayan Jahangir (MI New York), David White (San Francisco Unicorns), Saif Badar (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Cody Chetty (Texas Super Kings)
8. Eighth Round Draft Pick ($10,000)
Angelo Perera (Seattle Orcas), Justin Dill (Washington Freedom), Kyle Phillip (MI New York), Smit Patel (San Francisco Unicorns), Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Zia Shahzad (Texas Super Kings)
9. Ninth Round Draft Pick ($2,500)
Matthew Tromp (Seattle Orcas), Akhilesh Bodugum (Washington Freedom), Saideep Ganesh (MI New York), Sanjay Krishnamurthi (San Francisco Unicorns), Bhaskar Yadram (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Saiteja Mukkamalla (Texas Super Kings)
10. Overseas Signings ($60,000-$372,000)
The exact amounts for the overseas signings have not been disclosed yet. These are estimates based on reports and the purse allocated to each team.
Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne (Washington Freedom)
Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis (San Francisco Unicorns)
Quinton de Kock, Wayne Parnell, Dasun Shanaka, Sikandar Raza (Seattle Orcas)
In conclusion, Major League Cricket players in the USA will be making a decent amount of money from MLC, a league that lasts only three weeks.
The average salary for a professional cricketer in the league ranges from $25,000 to $75,000, with the top players earning considerably more. While it may not match the salary of some of the top athletes in America, it is impressive for a sport that’s still finding its footing in the country.
As a fan of the sport, it’s exciting to see the potential for growth and success in Major League Cricket, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these talented athletes. With cricket’s popularity on the rise, it’s not a stretch to say that the league’s players could one day be just as well-compensated as their counterparts in football and baseball.
What is the average salary for a Major League Cricket (MLC) player in the USA?
The average salary of a Major League Cricket (MLC) player is $60,526. Each MLC team has a purse of $1.15 million for 19 players total (10 domestic, 9 overseas).
Is Major League Cricket (MLC) the richest cricket league in the world?
No, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world. The MLC is the seventh richest cricket league in the world (based on average player salary).
How much money does Unmukt Chand earn in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA?
Unmukt Chand was picked for $65,000 as he was a second-round pick for the LA Knight Riders in the MLC player draft.
Who was the most expensive player in the MLC draft?
Harmeet Singh, Andries Gous, Steven Taylor, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, and Rusty Theron were the most expensive players. They each earned $75,000 as the first draft picks.
