Another IPL season is over, but cricket fans don’t have to wait long for more action. Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 is starting from June 12, and it promises a full month of thrilling T20 matches. The tournament will end with the grand final on July 13.
This year, matches will be played at three stadiums Oakland Coliseum, Grand Prairie Stadium (Texas), and Broward County Stadium (Florida).
All six teams will play against each other twice in the league stage, and the top four teams will move to the playoffs. While MI New York won the first season in 2023, Washington Freedom became champions in 2024.
Now, as the third season begins, let’s rank all six MLC teams based on their squad strength.
1. Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR)
The Knight Riders have been the most disappointing team till now. In the last two seasons, they failed to reach playoffs both times. But 2025 could be their lucky year.
With Jason Holder as captain, this squad looks full of T20 superstars. Players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, and Sherfane Rutherford make this team a powerhouse. Add Alex Hales, Anrich Nortje, and Tanveer Sangha to the mix, and LAKR suddenly looks dangerous.
This might be the breakout year for LAKR if the players finally perform together as a team.
2. Washington Freedom (WAF)
The 2024 champions have kept most of their players from last year. However, they will miss Travis Head, their top scorer, and Steve Smith, who will play only a few games.
Still, with names like Glenn Maxwell, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, and Mark Chapman, their batting remains strong. On the bowling side, they have Lockie Ferguson, Jason Behrendorff, and Ben Sears.
One weak point could be spin bowling, but part-timers like Maxwell and Ravindra might help cover that.
3. San Francisco Unicorns (SFU)
Last year’s runners-up are looking good again. Led by Corey Anderson, they have exciting batters like Finn Allen, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Matthew Short.
Their bowling features pace stars like Haris Rauf and Xavier Bartlett, as well as last year’s MVP, Hassan Khan. But they lack a strong spin option, which could be a big issue during the tournament.
Still, if their young players shine, SFU can surprise everyone again.
4. Texas Super Kings (TSK)
Just like their IPL team Chennai Super Kings, this team is steady and balanced. Led by Faf du Plessis, their batting lineup has Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, and Donovan Ferreira.
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But losing Mitchell Marsh may hurt their middle order. The bowling attack, though, is strong with names like Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, and Adam Milne.
They’ve finished third both seasons but haven’t reached the final. Maybe this time, they can.
5. MI New York (MINY)
MINY have always made it to the playoffs and won the first MLC season. But last year, they barely reached the top four. This season, they still have stars like Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, and Trent Boult.
Quinton de Kock, Michael Bracewell, and George Linde give balance, but missing players like Rashid Khan and Omarzai will hurt. Their bowling lacks depth, and that could be their biggest weakness in 2025.
6. Seattle Orcas (SOR)
SOR were finalists in 2023, but 2024 was a disaster, and they finished last. Sadly, 2025 might not be much different.
Captain Heinrich Klaasen and veteran David Warner must do most of the work. Players like Shimron Hetmyer, Sikandar Raza, and Kyle Mayers offer some support, but the team lacks big names in bowling.
Their pace bowling relies on Obed McCoy and Fazalhaq Farooqi, while spin is very weak overall.
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