The highly anticipated second season of the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States will begin on July 4, 2024, after a successful inaugural season in 2023. The tournament’s updated schedule and fixtures will likely be revealed in early 2024.
The league’s organizers are gearing up for another exciting season, which will kick off on July 4th, just four days after the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies. All six teams from the first edition will play for the second time.
A total of six teams will be participating in the competition with a few teams being owned by some Indian Premier League franchises. The six teams are – MI New York, DC Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Los Angeles Knight Riders, and Texas Super Kings. With MI New York emerging as the winner in the inaugural edition of the MLC.
According to reports in Cricbuzz, The first season was played in a single round-robin format due to scheduling constraints; however, the second season will be played in a double round-robin format and will be completed by early August. Major League Cricket has yet to reveal the venue for the upcoming event. It is believed that the tournament organizers may add two more locations to its schedule for season 2.
“The tremendous success of the inaugural Major League Cricket season provides a perfect platform to propel American cricket to even greater heights in 2024, We expect to see even more world-class players taking part in season two of Major League Cricket, creating an incredible summer for the sport in America along with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” Justin Geale said Major League Tournament Director.
The tournament has received excellent feedback from wealthy businesses and celebrities in India. Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are among the tournament’s investors. Each of the six organizations has a $1.5 million salary cap for 18 players, with a maximum of seven international stars for the first edition of the Major League Cricket.
The MLC 2024 is projected to build on the success of its initial season, which witnessed record-breaking acquisitions, and to retain the star power that boosted the league’s appeal. With no white-ball matches scheduled for major cricketing teams such as England, Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, and Pakistan, the MLC aims to maintain its place as a top-tier T20 cricket in the second season.