ICC grants official list A status to Major League Cricket ahead of second season

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Major League Cricket (MLC), the burgeoning T20 tournament in the USA, has achieved a significant milestone by acquiring List A status from the International Cricket Council (ICC) just before its second season. This achievement places MLC as the second Associate-run franchise competition to receive List A status, following the UAE's ILT20 earlier this year.

The elevation to List A status signifies a formal recognition of MLC as an official T20 league, with all tournament playing records now counted as official format statistics. Justin Geale, the tournament director, expressed enthusiasm about this development, highlighting the recognition of the tournament's high standards and the quality of players involved. He mentioned that this recognition would enhance the credibility of cricket in the USA on a global scale.

Geale thanked the ICC for acknowledging MLC's unique position as an Associate nation, emphasizing the tournament's role in providing a platform for some of the world's best players to showcase their skills alongside their peers.

MLC's 2024 edition is set to commence on July 5, immediately following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup on June 29 in Bridgetown. This timing marks a crucial period for cricket's efforts to establish a strong presence in the US market.

In addition to the List A status, MLC has unveiled plans for expansion, aiming to grow from six teams to 10 over the next few years. The number of games is also set to increase, from 19 in 2023 to 34 by 2025, with 25 games scheduled for the upcoming season.

Vijay Srinivasan, MLC's chief executive, outlined the league's vision for expansion and scheduling adjustments to avoid clashes with other prominent cricket events. He discussed plans to start the league earlier in June to coincide with the school holidays in the US, providing a favorable window for MLC's growth.

"It was always intended to be a 10-team league," MLC's chief executive, Vijay Srinivasan, told the Guardian. "Studies show that we are a big enough country, with a big enough demographic to support 10 teams, so that's our plan. We had 19 games in our first season, will have 25 in our second. I think we want to get to 34 next year, and just gradually keep expanding."

"Ultimately for us, our ideal calendar is to start much earlier, in the late spring or early summer," Srinivasan said. "With the Indian Premier League ending in late May, I think our sweet spot would be to start in early June, which is when we have the school holidays in the US, and go into July. That's how we would like to establish our window."

Last year, the MLC concluded just two days before the start of the Hundred. However, this time there will be a six-day overlap between the two leagues, with the MLC ending on July 28 and the Hundred starting on July 23. Consequently, up to half of the overseas players in the Hundred may arrive in the UK late after the MLC ends. Twelve out of the 24 overseas players contracted in the men's Hundred have already been announced as signings or retentions in the MLC, and more may follow before the tournament begins.

Four out of the six teams in the MLC are owned by IPL team owners: Mumbai Indians, KKR, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals.

The first season of the MLC ran from July 13 to 31, comprising 15 group-stage games followed by four playoff matches. It concluded with MI New York lifting the trophy under the captaincy of Nicholas Pooran. The upcoming second season will be played at the same two grounds as the first season: the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and the Church Street Park Stadium in Morrisville.