The 2025 MLC concluded on July 13, with fourth-placed MI New York coming through both the eliminator and the second qualifier to upset table-topping, defending champions Washington Freedom in the final. Here is Wisden’s Team of the Tournament.
Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings)
M: 11 | 468 runs @ 52.00, SR 170.18 | HS: 103*
The Texas Super Kings captain sits at the top of the order, after a hugely impressive campaign saw him lead his side to a second-placed finish. They fell in Qualifier 2 to MI New York, despite Faf’s 59. That was his fifth score of 50-plus, including a pair of centuries against San Francisco Unicorns and MI New York in the group stages. All done at a strike rate of over 170, it was another stellar year for last season’s top scorer.
Andre Fletcher (Los Angeles Knight Riders)
M: 7 | 289 runs @ 41.28, SR 158.79 | HS: 118
The Los Angeles Knight Riders had a tough time of it this year, finishing bottom of the standings, but it didn’t stop 37-year-old West Indies batter, Andre Fletcher, from shining at the top of the order. He cracked two tons in just seven appearances, carrying a faltering batting lineup. His 118 in the final group game against the San Francisco Unicorns ensured his team finished on a high and curtailed the Unicorns’ top-two chances.
Finn Allen (San Francisco Unicorns)
M: 9 | 333 runs @ 37.00, SR: 225.00 | HS: 151
The explosive Kiwi lit up the 2025 MLC, with his strike rate of 225.00 – the highest of the tournament. His 151 against Washington Freedom on the opening day shattered all sorts of records, coming off of only 51 balls (the first 100 came in just 34), making it the highest individual score in the tournament’s three-year history. The Unicorns’ keeper-batter also hit a tournament-high 35 maximums, and his absence from the playoffs with a foot injury without doubt hampered San Fran’s chances.
Mitchell Owen (Washington Freedom)
M: 12 | 313 runs @ 28.54, SR 194.40 | HS: 89
14 wickets @ 19.85, Ec. 9.26 | BBI: 5-17
The Aussie all-rounder picked up the tournament’s MVP award, and it’s a verdict hard to argue with 313 runs with the bat, struck at a rapid 194.40, alongside 14 wickets with the ball, including a five-wicket haul against the San Francisco Unicorns (the best figures of the tournament).
Glenn Maxwell (Washington Freedom)
M: 12 | 252 runs @ 31.50, SR 175.00 | HS: 106*
10 wickets @ 18.40, Ec. 8.36 | BBI: 3-12
Another Australian all-round inclusion from Washington Freedom, hard-hitter Glenn Maxwell showed his usual disregard for opposition bowlers by dismantling the Los Angeles Knight Riders attack - his 106* coming in a mere 49 balls and including 13 sixes. He provided useful overs with the ball as well, his off-spin proving hard to get away. He makes Wisden's MLC Team of the Tournament for a second year in a row, despite falling at the final hurdle.
Shimron Hetmyer (Seattle Orcas)
M: 8 | 340 runs @ 68.00, SR 209.87 | HS: 97*
Orcas may have missed out on the playoffs, but Shimron Hetmyer certainly didn’t let his team’s shortcomings affect his form with the bat. His 340 runs came at a tournament-high average of 68, and the West Indies batter thrived in his role as the lower-order finisher, ending up not out on scores of 50-plus three times - all games which Seattle won to ensure they were spared the embarrassment of a bottom-placed finish.
Kieron Pollard (MI New York)
M: 12 | 317 runs @ 39.62, SR 175.13 | HS: 70
6 wickets @ 37.83, Ec. 9.65 | BBI: 2-15
West Indies T20 legend Kieron Pollard made it 17 titles for him in the game’s shortest format as MI New York romped to playoff success. He came to life in the crucial moments of the tournament, hitting a half century in his team’s final group game to ensure they pipped Seattle to fourth spot and secured their place in the playoffs. He then struck 47* in their qualifier against the Texas Super Kings, bagging them a place in the final which they would not waste.
Xavier Bartlett (San Francisco Unicorns)
M: 11 | 134 runs @ 26.80, SR 171.79 | HS: 59*
18 wickets @ 19.77, Ec. 8.86 | BBI: 4-28
Australia quick Xavier Bartlett topped the tournament’s wicket tally, with his 18 poles for San Francisco Unicorns helping fire them to a third-placed finish. His prowess with the new ball was vital, claiming two four-wicket hauls, and he also chipped in with the bat – an unbeaten 25-ball 59 seeing his side over the line against MI New York in their group stage game. Tidy figures of 1-27 and another 44 with the bat weren’t enough to overcome the same opposition in the eliminator, however, but it was still a campaign to be proud of for Bartlett.
Akeal Hosein (Texas Super Kings)
M: 7 | 10 wickets @ 9.60, Ec. 4.80 | BBI: 3-15
He may have made only seven official appearances, of which one was rained off without a ball being bowled, but Akeal Hosein wasted no time in making his MLC presence known. A bowling average of just 9.60 was the best in the tournament, and his miserly economy rate of 4.80 was second behind only Lockie Ferguson. He helped push his team into third spot, but they couldn’t get past MI New York in the qualifier, despite his figures of 1-11 in three overs.
Haris Rauf (San Francisco Unicorns)
M: 8 | 17 wickets @ 15.05, Ec. 9.08 | BBI: 4-32
Second only to teammate Bartlett in terms of wickets, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf was having a standout tournament until it was ended prematurely by a hamstring injury. A strike rate of 9.94 ranked second out of anyone that bowled more than four overs across the duration of the tournament, and he was missed dearly as injuries derailed his side’s chances in the playoffs.
Trent Boult (MI New York)
M: 12 | 15 wickets @ 25.60, Ec. 8.00 | BBI: 4-17
Trent Boult is becoming something of a staple in New York, and the Kiwi veteran had another impressive campaign as his side sealed their second tournament win in three years. He’s been ever-present with the new ball in hand, and his 15 wickets this time out ranked third in the standings and came at a solid average of 25.60. The 35-year-old has the experience this squad needed to get over the line, and he even smashed consecutive sixes to eliminate the San Francisco Unicorns and keep his side’s campaign going.
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