ICC grants Major Cricket League (MLC) List-A status
The second season of MLC is scheduled for later this year
The American Cricket League, Major League Cricket (MLC), is making strides. It’s just a year old, but it’s become the second Associate-organized franchise-based tournament to receive List A status from the ICC, following the UAE’s ILT20 earlier in 2024.
This List A status is a major win for MLC. It elevates the league to official recognition, meaning player performances will now be included in official T20 statistics.
Tournament director Justin Geale expressed his enthusiasm, highlighting the recognition of player quality.
He believes List A status validates the MLC’s strength and growth, ultimately boosting the credibility of American cricket worldwide.
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“The most important for me though is it ensures the performances of some of the world’s best players alongside their peers are adequately reflected in their career statistics.
“Really thankful to the ICC for taking the time to look at it as cricket in the USA doesn’t always fit into a template. We are an Associate nation and proud of that, one with a unique opportunity in front of us. We hope that on the back of the upcoming World Cup and a successful season we can continue to build a platform for the sport to grow and ultimately succeed in the USA.”
The 2024 MLC season kicks off on July 5th, just a week after the T20 World Cup wraps up in Bridgetown on June 29th. This quick turnaround follows the World Cup’s exciting U.S. leg, which starts in Dallas on June 1st.
It is also being reported that the number of teams will be increased from the current six to 10 over the next two years. This means the number of games will be 34 whereas the current number is 25 games.
“It was always intended to be a 10-team league,” MLC’s chief executive, Vijay Srinivasan said.
“Studies show that we are a big enough country, with a big enough demographic to support 10 teams, so that’s our plan. We had 19 games in our first season, and will have 25 in our second. I think we want to get to 34 next year, and just gradually keep expanding.”
“Ultimately for us, our ideal calendar is to start much earlier, in the late spring or early summer,” Srinivasan said. “With the Indian Premier League ending in late May, I think our sweet spot would be to start in early June, which is when we have the school holidays in the US, and go into July. That’s how we would like to establish our window.”
While last year’s MLC neatly avoided the Hundred, a six-day overlap is expected this time. The MLC concludes on July 28th, just six days before the Hundred’s July 23rd launch.
This could lead to a delayed arrival for up to half the Hundred’s overseas players. Notably, twelve of the 24 overseas players already announced for the Hundred also have MLC contracts, with more potentially joining before the MLC kicks off.
Last year’s inaugural MLC season, won by MI New York under Nicholas Pooran’s leadership, saw 15 group-stage matches followed by four playoffs, all played between July 13th and 31st.
The upcoming season will utilize the same two venues – Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and Church Street Park Stadium in Morrisville.
