Major League Cricket (MLC) received a major boost ahead of its second season when the International Cricket Council granted the tournament official List A status, a move that made MLC an official T20 league and the premier domestic tournament in the country.
The move to recognise the league is aimed at promoting football in the US given the fact that the country will be hosting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on June 1.
Official List A status also bodes well for the players as their records are documented and international recognition is easily attainable.
In a statement, the MLC said it was surprised by the decision. “From now on, all centuries, half-centuries, five-fors, run-outs, wins, losses and championships will be recorded as official career statistics in the internationally recognised format of the game. The List A status has been awarded after a successful inaugural MLC season and underlines the team's unwavering commitment to presenting the best cricket in the country,” the statement read.
MLC CEO Vijay Srinivasan recently announced that the competition will expand from 19 matches in 2023 to 34 matches by 2025, based on the positive response to the inaugural season.
Srinivasan said his aim is to carry the momentum of popularity into the second season and the World Cup. “Last year, cricket fever spread across the US with the inaugural season of Major League Cricket. Now, we are riding on an exciting momentum with the highly anticipated ICC T20 World Cup and second season of MLC. With an unforgettable summer of cricket just around the corner, we are ready to capture the hearts of American sports fans with thrilling, adrenaline-pumping matches in the world's most exciting emerging T20 tournament,” Srinivasan told media.
MLC is sanctioned by USA Cricket and has six teams in the league: Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings and Washington Freedom. The league also features several notable players from the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia.
