San Francisco (USA), May 7 (IANS) The Major League Cricket (MLC) on Tuesday announced the schedule for the upcoming 2024 season, the second edition of a milestone event in the history of T20 cricket in the United States. The season promises an exhilarating lineup of matches featuring some of the world’s best international players and the nation’s top domestic talent.

Building on the momentum of its inaugural 2023 season, Major League Cricket (MLC) has extended the tournament, due to demand, adding an extra six league matches. The four-game playoff series, to be hosted in Grand Prairie, Texas, is set to captivate cricket fans across the globe.

The 2024 season will commence with two matches across the country on July 5, headlined by MLC’s reigning champions, MI New York, featuring their elite West Indian batter Kieron Pollard, facing the 2023 runners-up Seattle Orcas, led by star South African pair Wayne Parnell and Quinton de Kock. The match will be played at Church Street Park in Morrisville.

The Texas Super Kings, spearheaded by South African Faf du Plessis, will take on West Indian Sunil Narine’s LA Knight Riders at the purpose-built Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, later in the evening.

The opening weekend will also feature the Australians-stacked Washington Freedom featuring Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and coach Ricky Ponting, facing MI New York on July 6. The San Francisco Unicorns, bolstered by hard-hitting opening New Zealand batter Finn Allen, will host the LA Knight Riders on July 7 at Grand Prairie Stadium, TX.

The Major League Cricket’s CEO, Vijay Srinivasan, said he can't wait to see the passion and enthusiasm come to life with cricket fans across the country for the second season of Major League Cricket.

"We are incredibly excited to unveil the schedule for the 2024 season," said Srinivasan. "This promises to be our most thrilling season yet, with each of the MLC’s six teams actively recruiting in the off-season, adding a host of world-class player signings to their team rosters with more big names to be soon announced.

“With some of world cricket’s biggest current stars and seasoned veterans involved, including the likes of athletic Jamaican allrounder Andre Russell, New Zealand’s left-arm quick, Trent Boult, 2023 MLC Finals MVP Nicholas Pooran, Afghanistan's superstar spinner, Rashid Khan, together with cricketing royalty in coaches Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and Stephen Fleming, it demonstrates the depth of talent being attracted to the league,” he added.

In addition to the highly-anticipated matches, MLC remains committed to supporting the long-term infrastructure to foster the growth of local cricket communities further while strengthening cricket’s presence in the US.

“Last year, we unveiled MLC at the newly upgraded Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, and the brand new Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, which will both once again co-host the 2024 tournament, building on the impact of season one in those communities,” Srinivasan said.

“These venues will deliver world-class pitches and a vibrant atmosphere to support the overall MLC fan experience. Moreover, we are committed to exploring expansion opportunities with new cricket venues to support our six teams’ growing American fanbase,” he said.