The United States has entered the world of franchise T20 cricket with the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC). With six teams participating in the inaugural season, including three IPL franchises, the MLC aims to grow the interest in cricket in a country where sports like basketball, American football, and baseball have dominated.

Nita Ambani, Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, expressed her belief that cricket has the potential to thrive in the USA. She emphasized the growing interest in the sport and the investments made by various stakeholders in the MLC teams, which will contribute to the rising popularity of cricket.

“Interest in cricket in the US can only grow. I think it’s a growing interest; we have six teams. At this moment, Mumbai Indians (NY) is playing against Texas Super Kings. Our Prime Minister at the White House also spoke about it, and so many people have invested in these teams. I am sure the interest will only grow,” said Nita Ambani.

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One of the participating teams, MI New York, is owned by Reliance Industries Limited and is led by all-rounder Kieron Pollard. The team consists of renowned players like Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, as well as promising talents such as Dewald Brevis and Tim David. MI New York has secured one victory in their first three matches and currently holds the third position on the MLC points table.

Speaking about #MLC2023 and cricket in USA, #NitaAmbani also spoke about PM #NarendraModihttps://t.co/U85HjJtrGX

— HT Sports (@HTSportsNews) July 19, 2023

The MLC, which commenced on July 13, will conclude with the final match taking place on July 30 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. This inaugural season of the MLC marks a significant milestone in the development of cricket in the USA, opening doors for more growth and opportunities in the future.

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MI NY Full Squad: Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir, Monank Patel, Hammad Azam, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (c), Tim David, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Ehsan Adil, Dewald Brevis, Nosthush Kenjige, Sarabjit Ladda, David Wiese, Jason Behrendorff, Waqar Salamkheil, Jasdeep Singh, Tristan Stubbs