Published on: Jun 12, 2025 12:41 pm IST|Updated on: Jun 12, 2025 4:48 pm IST
The United States of America wasn’t much into cricket 10-20 years ago. However, things have changed today. Courtesy of Major League Cricket, the sport has gained popularity among the people in the country and is prospering day by day.
After two successful seasons of Major League Cricket, the premier T20 franchise tournament in the United States is back with its third season, which will run from June 13 to July 14. This one-month-long tournament will feature 6 teams battling it out in a total of 34 games, including the finals, across three different venues.
The three venues for MLC 2025 are,
This would be the first instance when a Baseball stadium will turn into a cricket stadium to host MLC 2025 matches. Yes, we are talking about the Oakland Coliseum in California, which is all set to host the first leg of the tournament, a total of 9 matches, including the tournament opener between last season’s runners-up, San Francisco Unicorns, and reigning champions, the Washington Freedom.
Here is the full schedule of MLC 2025. The first game of the season will be a rerun from last season’s final, i.e., San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom.
Check out the full squads of all 6 teams playing in the Major League Cricket 2025.
The Texas Super Kings got very close to playing their first-ever MLC final last season. After kicking out MI New York mercilessly in the Eliminator by 9 wickets, the Super Kings marched into the second qualifier with utmost confidence but were taken down by San Francisco Unicorns by 7 wickets.
Heading into this season, the Super Kings have what it takes to lift the trophy with some crucial additions to the squad from last season. It would be interesting to see how deep Faf du Plessis and his men go in MLC 2025.
CAPTAIN: Faf du Plessis Last Season Finish: 3rd, Qualifier 2
The Seattle Orcas had a nightmare of a campaign last season. They finished right at the bottom of the points table with a solitary win and 6 losses from 7 matches. After finishing last in the previous season, Orcas have nothing left but to embark on a journey of redeeming themselves.
Led by one of the best T20 batters in the world, Heinrich Klaasen, Orcas would be hoping to turn the tables around this time. With the addition of Shimron Hetmyer, Kyle Mayers, Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, David Warner, and Obed McCoy, Orcas looks like a formidable unit this time around.
The inaugural champions didn’t had a season to remember last time around. Nicholas Pooran and his man finished fourth with only 2 wins from 7 games and were brutally assaulted in the Eliminator by the Texas Super Kings.
Out of all the other teams, MI New York has made the best inclusions in their squad with the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq, Michael Bracewell, Quinton de Kock, and Azmatullah Omarzai joining the ranks. With one of the most prudent sides of MLC 2025, MI New York is perhaps the strongest contender to lift the elusive trophy.
CAPTAIN: Nicholas Pooran Last Season Finish: 4th
The Los Angeles Knight Riders were always on the receiving end last season. Having won only two matches from 7 encounters, LA finished fifth on the points table despite having one of the strongest teams of the season.
Apart from stacking their squad with the likes of Rovman Powell, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Tanveer Sangha, and Anrich Nortje, the team management has decided to go with former Caribbean skipper Jason Holder as their leader for this season. The team is hoping for a revamp under Holder, and we can expect a new approach from the team this season.
CAPTAIN: Jason Holder Last Season Finish: 6th
The defending champions, Washington Freedom, didn’t put a step wrong throughout the last edition of Major League Cricket. Their approach, their tactics, and their execution were spot on, which resulted in ultimate glory. The captain-coach duo of Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting did wonders for the team last time around.
However, in this season, the leadership duty has been assigned to one of the most irresponsible batters in T20 cricket, i.e., Glenn Maxwell. With Steve Smith only available to lead the side for two games, due to national commitments, it would be interesting to see how the reigning champions prosper under a new leader in Glenn Maxwell.
CAPTAIN: Glenn Maxwell Last Season Finish: Champions
The runners-up from the last season, San Francisco Unicorns, would be hoping to go one step further this season. The Unicorns, along with the eventual champions Washington Freedom, were the only side to win 5 and lose only a solitary match out of 7. Despite a breathtaking season, San Francisco failed to get their hands on the elusive trophy, but won’t leave any stone unturned in this edition to claim the ultimate prize.
Talking about their squad for this season, Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Short, Tim Seifert, and Cooper Connolly are the new international signings in the squad who will be eager to prove their mettle in the competition.
CAPTAIN: Corey Anderson Last Season Finish: Champions
The online streaming of all the matches of Major League Cricket 2025 will be streamed live on the JioHotstar App. TV viewers can tune in to Sony Sports Network channels for the live broadcast.
Only two editions have been played so far of Major League Cricket.
The third edition of MLC will be bigger and better. This time around, each team will be playing 10 league matches before heading into the playoffs. The top four teams will make it to the playoffs, with the final set to be played on July 13.
Check out the top performers from the Major League Cricket 2024 edition:
Below are the top 5 run-getters of the previous edition of Major League Cricket.
Below are the top 5 wicket-takers of the previous edition of Major League Cricket.