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| What is Major League Cricket that makes Pakistan's best cricketers 'want to come to America'? |
For the first time in America, a major T20 cricket league is going to start on July 13, with players from many countries in its six franchises.
The interesting thing about this American league called Major League Cricket (MLC) is that it also includes cricketers who will now play as American domestic players after representing their countries in the past.
In the squads of these teams, you will see many names who have played for Pakistan before but are now based in the US and are pursuing their careers as American domestic players. Like Ehsan Adil, Hamad Azhar, Sami Aslam, Mukhtar Ahmed etc.
Apart from this, the MLC will also feature two former Indian Under-19 players, Harmeet Singh and Anmak Chand, and former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson.
"Pakistan's best cricketers want to come to America"
Sami Aslam, who represented Pakistan in 13 Test matches, is now based in the tech hub of Silicon Valley in America and will play for the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket.
In an interview given to Cricket Pakistan, he said that many Pakistani cricketers have approached him to come to America, which is a 'failure of Pakistani cricket'.
Sami Aslam says that only PSL players in Pakistan consider themselves financially stable. He claims that "the best players of Pakistan want to come to America" and want to become financially stable by playing cricket here.
He cites the example that recently '20 to 30 Pakistani domestic cricketers participated in a tournament in Washington. A guy earns as much money in a one-week tournament as he earns in a three- to four-month season of four-dayers.
He recalls that he had no intention of going to America but was disappointed after not being named in the Pakistan squad for the tours of England and New Zealand, after which he had to take the decision.
I understood that now they will not feed me. Only the one who has the support (of powerful circles) can run in Pakistan.
Sami Aslam says that currently he has not decided to represent America but he has no interest in playing for Pakistan again. "It's a pity that I could have played longer for Pakistan."
"It was a huge decision for my entire life. Education was sacrificed for cricket. When he came to America, there were big questions.
He says that cricket in America is 'not like Pakistan' but he is happy with his decision.
What is Match League Cricket?
Major League Cricket is a new T20 league in America whose first season is starting on July 13.
The last time the US men's national team qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy was in 2004. Since then, the US has never qualified for an ICC tournament.
But now America is hosting the 2024 T20 World Cup with West Indies and the American team will also participate in it.
In this context, Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan founded Major League Cricket in January 2019, they are also the founders of Velo TV, the largest cricket broadcaster in North America.
According to Cricinfo, the league has investments from India's Times Group, besides technology company Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayan.
Four of the six major league cricket teams are owned by IPL franchises. Pakistani cricketers like Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Imad Wasim are also participating in it.
MLC aims to 'strengthen the US cricket team'
The United States is an associate member of the ICC and receives a smaller share of the annual budget than full members.
"Sports fans in America want to see the best players in the world," MLC co-founder Srinivasan told BBC Sport. That's what professional sports in America demand.
They don't want to see any second-rate talent. They want the best people.
He believes that the investment by MLC will promote cricket in the country and will benefit the US national team.
Its matches will be held on two grounds: Texas and North Carolina. The league has six teams or franchises whose owners have committed to building new stadiums in the United States.
Through this tournament, the domestic players of America are also getting an opportunity to play at a high level.
Srinivasan has said that 'one thing we have identified is that cricket in America will not be successful until America has its own strong cricket team.'
It is not only to the extent that we conduct a league every 12 months. We are not building a stadium to have MLC once every year. We want the US men's, women's, and U-19 teams to play in places where the best in the world will be competing against them."
He says that when the T20 World Cup is held in the US in 2024, it will ensure that the US gives tough competition to the rest of the world.
English opened in the American Cricket LeagueAlso demand for wheels
Major League Cricket has said it wants to sign England's best players for its future editions. But the league's founders say it would be "narrow-minded" to consider it a threat to English cricket.
English players like Liam Plunkett and Jason Roy are participating in this league.
English opener Jason Roy ended his £60,000 to £70,000 contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board and joined Major League Cricket where he can now earn up to £150,000.
Roy, 32, had earlier stated his preference to play for England. But he got offers from different cricket leagues which forced him to change his decision. The league is being held at the time of the English cricket season and is now considered a threat to the English team and county cricket as well.
However, Srinivasan has denied that Major League Cricket is a threat to the sport in any country.
He says that we want the best players in the world to play here. A place has to be created in the world cricket calendar to facilitate the best players.