With the ICC T20 World Cup now over, the much-awaited Major League Cricket 2024, the top-tier domestic T20 competition in the United States, kicks off on Saturday.
The opening match of MLC 2024 between reigning champions MI New York and last season’s finalists Seattle Orcas will be played at Church Street Park in North Carolina. All 25 Major League Cricket T20 matches will be live streamed and telecast in India.
The second edition of the USA's premier T20 cricket league will feature six teams.
The first 15 matches of the MLC 2024 will be shared between Church Street Park and Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas. The final 10 matches, including the four knockout fixtures, will be held exclusively at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
Four of the six MLC teams are owned by franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This includes MI New York (Mumbai Indians), Texas Super Kings (Chennai Super Kings), LA Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders) and the Seattle Orcas (Delhi Capitals). The other two teams are San Francisco Unicorns and Washington Freedom.
MLC 2024 also boasts a galaxy of international cricket stars.
Washington Freedom, coached by Australian great Ricky Ponting, includes powerful Aussie hitters in Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head.
Defending champions MI New York will be led by West Indian powerhouse Kieron Pollard while last year’s runners-up Seattle Orcas will look up to the South African duo of Wayne Parnell and Quinton de Kock to deliver.
LA Knight Riders will have the services of mystery spinner Sunil Narine of the West Indies while Texas Super Kings and San Francisco Unicorns boast the likes of South African ace Faf du Plessis and New Zealand's Finn Allen, respectively.
The teams will play seven matches each in the league phase after which the top four sides will progress to the playoffs, which includes IPL-style qualifier and eliminator matches. The MLC 2024 final will be played on July 29.
Where to watch Major League Cricket 2024 live in India
Live streaming of Major League Cricket 2024 will be available on JioCinema. Live telecast of MLC 2024 will be on the Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD channels. TV channel in India.