Cricket in the USA — Major League Cricket and America's T20 Revolution Explained
Cricket is growing rapidly in the USA. Major League Cricket (MLC) launched in 2023, and the USA co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup, producing one of its greatest upsets.
Cricket's American Moment
Cricket has long existed in the USA within immigrant communities — particularly South Asian, Caribbean, and British diaspora — but struggled to penetrate mainstream sports culture. That began to change with the launch of Major League Cricket in 2023 and the co-hosting of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup with the West Indies. America's sports market — the world's largest — is now genuinely engaged with cricket.
Major League Cricket (MLC)
Major League Cricket launched in 2023 with six franchise teams: MI New York, Los Angeles Knight Riders, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, Washington Freedom, and San Francisco Unicorns. Backed by IPL franchise owners — Mumbai Indians owns MI New York, Kolkata Knight Riders owns LA Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings owns Texas Super Kings — the league attracted elite international T20 players. MI New York won the inaugural title.
USA at the 2024 T20 World Cup
The 2024 T20 World Cup's co-hosting by USA and West Indies was cricketing history. USA hosted group matches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (a purpose-built temporary venue). In one of cricket's greatest upsets, USA beat Pakistan by 6 runs on home soil — a result that sent shockwaves through world cricket. USA's narrow Super Over loss to India followed, but their tournament run demonstrated American cricket's potential.
Frequently asked questions
What is Major League Cricket?
Major League Cricket (MLC) is the USA's professional T20 cricket league, launched in 2023. It features six franchise teams backed by IPL owners, playing across major US cities.
How did USA perform at the 2024 T20 World Cup?
USA beat Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup group stage, one of cricket's biggest upsets. They lost their Super Over against India and did not advance from the group stage.