One USA player to watch out for from each MLC 2024 team ft. Saurabh Netravalkar
The second edition of the Major League Cricket, MLC 2024, will be played from July 5 to July 28. A total of 25 matches will be played across two venues - Morrisville and Dallas. MI New York are the defending champions in the T20 competition.
MLC 2024 begins with MI New York and Seattle Orcas locking horns at Church Street Park in Morrisville at 3:30 pm local time on July 5 (1 am IST, July 6). Texas Super Kings will take on Los Angeles Knight Riders in the second match of MLC 2024 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
A total of 21 matches will be played in the league stage of MLC 2024, which will be followed by the playoffs. The top two sides will feature in the Qualifier, while the third and fourth ranked teams will clash in the Eliminator. Both the Challenger match and the final will be played in Dallas.
Ahead of the second edition of Major League Cricket, we look at one player from each team to watch out for in MLC 2024.
Joshua Tromp - Texas Super Kings
Joshua Tromp is a 19-year-old keeper-batter who has an impressive record in the Minor League Cricket. Representing Houston Hurricanes, he smashed four fifties in 10 matches at a strike rate of 132.
Tromp also hammered 82 of 40 in a practice game against Washington Freedom. Joshua is regarded among the most talented upcoming batters in USA. His twin brother, Matthew, is a part of Los Angeles Knight Riders in MLC 2024.
Nitish Kumar - Los Angeles Knight Riders
Nitish Kumar is a reasonably experienced top-order batter in international cricket, who can also chip in with some off break. He has the experience of 28 T20Is in which he has scored 617 runs at an average of 29.38 and a strike rate of 128, with four half-centuries, including a best of 83.
The 30-year-old was part of United States' memorable 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. In five innings, he contributed 99 runs at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 115.11, with a best of 30.
Saurabh Netravalkar - Washington Freedom
Mumbai-born left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar was one of the stars of United States 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. In six innings, he claimed six wickets at an average of 20.83 and an economy rate of 6.63.
He was the star performer with figures of 2-18 in the historic win over Pakistan and also bowled the high-pressure Super Over. Netravalkar also claimed two wickets each against India and South Africa respectively.
The experienced seamer has a highly impressive record in international cricket. He has 73 scalps in 48 ODIs and 33 T20I wickets from as many matches. Washington Freedom will have high hopes from him in MLC 2024.
Nosthush Kenjige - MI New York
Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige will be representing defending champions MI New York in MLC 2024. The 33-year-old has played 10 T20Is, claiming seven wickets at an average of 26.42 and an economy rate 8.04.
Kenjige was one of the heroes of United States' historic Super Over win over Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Dallas. He claimed 3-30 in four overs, getting the scalps of Usman Khan, Shadab Khan and Azam Khan.
Apart from his T20I experience, the spinner has also played 40 ODIs, claiming 38 wickets.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi - San Francisco Unicorns
Born in Corvallis, Oregon, Sanjay Krishnamurthi represented Karnataka U16s as an opening batsman and left-arm spinner. According to a report in Cricbuzz, he was also one of the finalists of Spin Stars, a talent hunt contest launched by Indian bowling legend Anil Kumble.
The 21-year-old, though, decided to go back to United States, as he felt that his career in India wasn't progressing.
After impressing with both bat and ball for East Bay Blazers in the Minor League, he bagged an MLC contract with San Francisco for the 2023 season. While Krishnamurthi didn't get a chance last year, he will be keen to make an impact this season if an opportunity comes his way.
Harmeet Singh - Seattle Orcas
Harmeet Singh, whose action was once compared with the legendary Bishen Bedi, represented India in two U-19 World Cups. On his first-class debut for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh in November 2009, he claimed seven wickets in an 85-run win in Mumbai.
Harmeet's career, though, never quite took offm and he decided to move to the US. The 31-year-old has played 12 T20Is for United States, claiming 10 wickets at an 26.40 and an economy rate of 7.40. Harmeet has a best of 4-18.
He also featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup, claiming four wickets in five matches, with a best of 2-24.