The MLC 2025 group stage started on Thursday (June 12). Here are all the overseas players currently signed up for the competition.
The third edition of Major League Cricket (MLC), which continues to grow in popularity, will take place from June 12 to July 14, 2025. Aimed at boosting cricket's presence in the USA, this year’s tournament will feature the usual six teams: LA Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom, all competing for the title.
Heinrich Klaasen, Glenn Maxwell and Nicholas Pooran, all of whom have hung up their boots in international cricket recently, have been named as captains for 2025. Washington Freedom entered the season as the title-holders.
@MLCricket about to kick off in Oakland But the captains are so chilled...... #Cricket pic.twitter.com/PyfkN7AjCc
— Sportzpics (@sportzpics) June 11, 2025
US President Donald Trump’s immigration restrictions cast doubt over the participation of Afghan players in MLC 2025, as Afghanistan is among the 12 nations banned from entering the USA. Seven Afghan cricketers had initially signed up for the tournament. However, an exception in the travel ban allows athletes from these countries to enter if they are participating in a "major sporting event".
Despite this, Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai – who were set to play for MI New York – withdrew from the tournament to take a temporary break from cricket.
Find the full list of MLC 2025 squads here.
Click here to find out how to watch MLC 2025 live in different parts of the world.
MLC 2025: Complete list of overseas players
LA Knight Riders
Alex Hales (England), Andre Fletcher (West Indies), Andre Russell (West Indies), Anrich Nortje (South Africa), Jason Holder (West Indies), Rovman Powell (West Indies), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Sunil Narine (West Indies), Tanveer Sangha (Australia).
MI New York
Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Kieron Pollard (West Indies), Trent Boult (New Zealand), Rashid Khan* (Afghanistan), George Linde (South Africa), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Michael Bracewell (New Zealand), Azmatullah Omarzai* (Afghanistan).
*withdrawn
San Francisco Unicorns
Finn Allen (New Zealand), Matthew Short (Australia), Romario Shepherd (West Indies), Xavier Bartlett (Australia), Haris Rauf (Pakistan), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Australia), Tim Seifert (New Zealand), Liam Plunkett (England), Cooper Connolly (Australia).
Seattle Orcas
Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa), David Warner (Australia), Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan), Kyle Mayers (West Indies), Obed McCoy (West Indies), Waqar Salamkheil (Afghanistan), Fazahaq Farooqi (Afghanistan).
Texas Super Kings
Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Devon Conway (New Zealand), Donovan Ferreira (South Africa), Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Nandre Burger (South Africa), Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Adam Milne (New Zealand), Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan).
Washington Freedom
Glenn Maxwell (Australia), Steven Smith (Australia), Mark Chapman (New Zealand), Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand), Jason Behrendorff (Australia), Ben Sears (New Zealand), Glenn Phillips (New Zealand), Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand), Jack Edwards (Australia), Mitch Owen (Australia).
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