Major League Cricket 2023: Everything You Need to Know about Teams, Venues, and Schedules

Are you a cricket fan eagerly waiting for the inaugural season of Major League Cricket 2023 (MLC)? Cricket has been a game that has gained global attention over the years. While it may not be as popular in the United States, it is slowly but surely making its mark. The Major League Cricket (MLC) is the premier cricket competition in the United States, set to kick off on July 13, 2023.

Here is everything you need to know about the MLC 2023: Major League Cricket 2023

Teams and Venues

The competition will consist of six teams, four of which are partly or wholly owned by existing Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises. The teams are:

1. Los Angeles-based team owned by Kolkata Knight Riders
2. New York-based franchise solely owned by Mumbai Indians
3. Seattle-based franchise co-owned by Delhi Capitals and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, known as Seattle Orcas.
4. Texas-based franchise co-owned by Chennai Super Kings
5. A team based out of Washington DC owned by local American investors in tie-up with New South Wales Cricket
6. A team based out of San Francisco owned by local American investors in tie-up with Victoria Cricket

Schedules

The inaugural season of MLC T20 will begin on July 13, 2023. The competition will consist of a double round-robin format, followed by playoffs. Each team will play ten matches in the league stage, with five games at home and five games away. The playoffs will consist of two semi-finals and a final.

Player Draft: Major League Cricket 2023

The domestic player draft took place on March 19, 2023, at the Space Center Houston, the official visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The teams picked a total of nine players each, with each team picking one player per round. The teams followed a ‘snake order’ where the team which picked last in one particular round picked first in the next. Each team had to pick a U-23 player in the ninth round, irrespective of whether they had picked one in earlier rounds or not. The overseas player signings will be done outside the draft process, with each team allowed a maximum of eight overseas players in their squad. The maximum squad strength is 18.

Top Players: Major League Cricket 2023

Several international stars, who have acquired local residencies, were up for grabs in the domestic player draft. Some of the top players who were picked in the draft include Liam Plunkett, Corey Anderson, and Unmukt Chand. Members of the US national cricket team including the likes of Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige, and Aaron Jones were also highly sought after in the draft.

Timings: Major League Cricket 2023

The live broadcast of the draft began at 7:30 pm local time (CST). Fans in India and Pakistan were able to catch the action early morning on March 20 at 6 am IST and 5:30 am PKT respectively. For viewers in the United Kingdom, the coverage started at 12:30 am (GMT) on March 20.

The MLC 2023 is an exciting development for cricket fans in the United States. With the participation of IPL teams and some of the top international players, the league promises to be a thrilling competition. Keep an eye out for more updates as we get closer to the tournament!

Read more: IPL 2023 Schedule Revealed: Date, Time, Fixtures, Teams, Venues and Other Key Details