Pat Cummins Signs 4 Years Deal with MLC’s San Francisco Unicorns: Eyeing on the Glory
Pat Cummins, the cricket sensation, has made a game-changing decision by signing a lucrative four-year contract with the San Francisco Unicorns, marking a significant milestone in the world of Major League Cricket (MLC).
The MLC and Silicon Valley present a “unique opportunity for me and my life beyond cricket,” according to the captain of Australia.
Given that he has only participated in one international T20 league—the IPL—and that he hasn’t been in Australia’s Big Bash League since the 2018–19 season because of international obligations, Cummins’ choice to join the USA’s franchise league is noteworthy.
“MLC is growing quickly, and cricket has a huge potential market in the US,” Cummins stated in a statement issued by SF Unicorns. “Although cricket is a major part of my involvement, Silicon Valley in general and the owners in particular provided a global network and long-term opportunities that made a unique opportunity for me and my life beyond cricket.”
“Anand [Rajaraman] and Venky [Harinarayan, SF Unicorns’ co-owners who are also Silicon Valley entrepreneurs] operate in a business world that excites me enormously and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
This year’s MLC is scheduled to take place from July 6 to July 29. Australia is scheduled to tour the West Indies in June and July of next year for an all-format series consisting of two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is, according to the Future Tours Programme. It’s unclear how Cummins’ availability for either assignment may be impacted given his role as captain of Australia’s Test and ODI teams. Although he does not hold the top spot in T20I cricket, he just led Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024 final.
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This season, Cummins will be joined by the hard-hitting Australian hitter Jake Fraser-McGurk at the San Francisco Unicorns. Another team that has signed several well-known Australians is Washington Freedom, which has signed Steven Smith, Travis Head, and Glenn Maxwell. Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand was also hired by Washington.
Other well-known MLC signings for 2024 include Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh and David Miller of South Africa to the Los Angeles Knight Riders; Anrich Nortje of South Africa and Romario Shepherd of the West Indies to MI New York; Aiden Markram of South Africa and Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand to the Texas Super Kings; and Nandre Burger of South Africa and Obed McCoy of the West Indies to the Seattle Orcas.
After the UAE’s ILT20, MLC will be the second Associate-run franchise competition to obtain List A status from the ICC in its second season. This implies that MLC will now be acknowledged as a legitimate T20 competition, and its results will be included in official T20 statistics.
