Former Bangladesh skipper joins Los Angeles Knight Riders for MLC 2024 season

The Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) have made a significant move ahead of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 season by signing former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.

This acquisition marks a reunion between Shakib and the Knight Riders family, with the all-rounder having previously represented Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during their successful campaigns in 2012 and 2014.

In a statement released by the Knight Riders group, they expressed excitement about Shakib joining the LAKR squad.

"Shakib, of course, has a long-standing relationship with the Knight Riders family, having represented KKR in various phases - including our two championship [winning] seasons in 2012 and 2014," the statement read. "We can't wait to see him turn up in Purple and Gold for LA Knight Riders this July."

LAKR, owned by the group behind KKR in the IPL and Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, finished at the bottom in the inaugural MLC season in 2023. However, they are aiming for a turnaround in fortunes with their revamped squad for the upcoming season. Retaining key players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Jason Roy, and others, LAKR has also added local talents Derone Davis, Matthew Tromp, Cirne Dry, and Adithya Ganesh to their roster.

The tournament's second edition is scheduled to commence on July 5, featuring a match between MI New York and Seattle Orcas, the respective champions and runners-up from the first season. The grand finale is set to take place on July 29.