Major League Cricket 2023
2023 · 6 teams · T20 cricket
Tournament Overview
Series Overview
The inaugural 2023 Major League Cricket was a historic moment for the sport: professional franchise cricket had arrived in the United States of America. Six teams — each backed by IPL or global franchise ownership groups — competed across three weeks in July and August 2023 at newly built cricket venues in Texas, North Carolina, and New York. MI New York, the Mumbai Indians' American franchise, won the inaugural title with a stunning performance in the final. Nicholas Pooran, the West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman known for his explosive hitting, produced one of the great T20 innings: 137 not out in the final against Seattle Orcas, powering MI New York to victory by 7 wickets. The innings was breathtaking — each boundary following the last with rhythmic, relentless precision. The tournament's commercial success validated the concept: America had cricket infrastructure, cricket fans, and international stars willing to participate. A year later, the T20 World Cup would be co-hosted on American soil — and MLC had helped plant the seeds.
Key Highlights
- 1MI New York won the inaugural MLC title — Nicolas Pooran scored 137* in the final, one of T20 cricket's great innings
- 2Six franchises competed in America's first professional cricket league, backed by IPL ownership groups
- 3The tournament proved cricket can draw audiences in the United States — a landmark in global cricket's expansion
- 4Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas became a hub for cricket in America — built specifically for MLC with full cricketing infrastructure
- 5Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 137 in the final was the highest score in MLC history — pure, devastating power hitting