Pat Cummins joins San Francisco Unicorns for MLC 2024

Australian skipper Pat Cummins is set to join the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024. The 31-year-old fast bowler recently played in the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies and will now bring his talent to American soil with a four-year deal.

Cummins, who has mostly played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when it comes to overseas T20 leagues, took 18 wickets in 16 IPL games this year, averaging 31.44 with an economy rate of 9.27. He hasn’t played in Australia's domestic T20 competition, the Big Bash League (BBL), since the 2018-19 season due to his international commitments.

The Unicorns will benefit greatly from Cummins' arrival, especially as they've only won one of their first three matches this season. Cummins is in top form, having recently achieved back-to-back hat-tricks in the T20 World Cup 2024. He also demonstrated strong leadership by guiding Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL final.

Cummins has a solid T20 record, with 172 wickets in 151 matches at an average of 26.66 and an economy rate of 8.11. His addition is expected to strengthen the Unicorns' bowling lineup significantly.

His arrival coincides with the departure of West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford, who is leaving due to a family bereavement. This change will likely affect the team's dynamics and strategy in upcoming matches.

Other teams in the MLC have also made squad changes. Ottneil Baartman is replacing the injured Gerald Coetzee at Texas Super Kings, and Lungi Ngidi is stepping in for Wayne Parnell, who has withdrawn, at Seattle Orcas.