Dallas, Jun 22 (IANS): USA’s vice-captain Aaron Jones, Sunny Patel and Chaitanya Bishnoi are set to feature in the upcoming second Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024, which begins on July 5.
Following the mammoth interest in the T20 World Cup and America’s success, three MLC teams—Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, and Seattle Orcas had a roster place available, providing the opportunity for undrafted domestic players to secure a place on a team roster in the upcoming tournament.
The draft order was randomly determined on June 18, and teams were given 48 hours to strategize and finalize any internal discussions before the supplementary draft occurred.
LA Knight Riders – Chaitanya Bishnoi
A top-order batsman and spin bowler, the 29-year-old played for the Chennai Super Kings championship side in 2018 before moving to the United States to pursue his cricket in early 2023. He was a part of the San Francisco Unicorns squad in the 2023 inaugural season of Major League Cricket, featuring in all five matches for the Bay Area side. He was also a key member of the Dallas Xforia Giants during the 2023 edition of Minor League Cricket.
Seattle Orcas – Aaron Jones
Jones returns to a familiar dressing room, having played for the Orcas in last year's inaugural Major League Cricket season. The top-order batsman has been a cornerstone of Team USA’s success during the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Jones has made headlines throughout Team USA’s historic World Cup campaign and was part of the USA’s momentous defeat over Pakistan in Texas. Orcas fans will be hoping for similar performances throughout MLC.
MI New York – Sunny Patel
A right-handed middle order batsman and leg spin bowler, Sunny Patel left his mark on the 2023 Minor League Cricket season. His contributions with both bat and ball played a crucial role in the New Jersey Somerset Cavaliers advancing to the Championship match, where they lost to the Dallas Mustangs. Patel also provides some variety to the domestic player brigade of MI New York, being the only domestic leg-spinner on their roster heading into the 2024 season,
MLC tournament director Justin Geale said, "Major League Cricket plays a critical role in developing domestic players and providing a pathway to play cricket at the highest level amongst some of the best players in the world.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chaitanya, Aaron, and Sunny to the 2024 MLC season, adding three more talented domestic players to our league.”
The second season of MLC commences July 5, with reigning champions MI New York taking on Seattle Orcas at Morrisville, NC, followed by Texas Super Kings vs LA Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Stadium, TX.