MLC 2026: Here Are the Complete Squads of Every Franchise

Ali Naseer · 19/06/2026 · 4 min read

The Return of Major League Cricket

Major League Cricket (MLC) has officially returned for its highly anticipated fourth season. The buzz surrounding the tournament is at an all-time high as the 2026 edition kicked off on June 18, with the grand finale scheduled for July 18. Six elite franchises are battling for supremacy across iconic venues in Texas and California. It is a tournament that remains short in duration but remains heavy on action—exactly the kind of high-octane spectacle modern T20 cricket fans crave.

The season opener delivered an intense clash between the Texas Super Kings and the Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium. The tournament follows a rigorous double round-robin format, ensuring that every team faces their opponents twice. With two points for a win and high stakes regarding the Net Run Rate, every single ball counts. A minor collapse or a massive victory can drastically alter the trajectory of a franchise’s season, keeping the points table dynamic until the very end.

The Road to the Championship

Once the grueling league stage concludes, the top four teams will advance to the high-pressure playoff rounds. The structure includes a Qualifier for the top two teams, offering a vital second chance, while the third and fourth-placed teams face a do-or-die Eliminator match. As the season progresses, MLC 2026 is solidifying its reputation as a premier competitive league rather than an exhibition. The structure is transparent, but the intensity on the field is palpable, creating a must-watch experience for cricket enthusiasts globally.

MLC 2026: Complete Squads of All 6 Teams

To keep you updated on your favorite players, here are the full rosters for all six teams competing this year:

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MI New York (MINY)

Led by Kieron Pollard, the squad features: Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton (WK), Nicholas Pooran (WK), Monank Patel (WK), Agni Chopra, Tajinder Dhillon, Trent Boult, Sunny Patel, Nosthush Kenjige, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Tristan Luus, Rushil Ugarkar, Corey Anderson, Corbin Bosch, Romario Shepherd, Faisal Khan Ahmadzai, and Kunwarjeet Singh.

Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR)

Captained by Jason Holder, the team includes: Sunil Narine, Alex Hales, Unmukt Chand, Saif Badar, Colin Munro, Andre Fletcher (WK), Nitish Kumar, Jahmar Hamilton (WK), Carmi le Roux, Kristopher Ramsaran, Ali Khan, Lloyd Pope, Andre Russell, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Karthik Gattepalli, and Matthew Tromp.

Texas Super Kings (TSK)

Under the leadership of Faf du Plessis, the roster consists of: Rilee Rossouw, Calvin Savage, Smit Patel (WK), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Joshua Tromp (WK), Adam Milne, Nandre Burger, Keshav Maharaj, Hardus Viljoen, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Mohsin, Abhimanyu Lamba, Wiaan Mulder, Milind Kumar, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Ranjane, and Amshi de Silva.

Washington Freedom (WF)

Captained by Steve Smith, the squad is comprised of: Mark Chapman, Mukhtar Ahmed, Lahiru Milantha (WK), Andries Gous (WK), Lockie Ferguson, Ben Dwarshuis, Amila Aponso, Saurabh Netravalkar, Asif Mehmood, Abhishek Paradkar, Yasir Mohammad, Glenn Maxwell, Rachin Ravindra, Obus Pienaar, Ian Holland, Marco Jansen, Nikhil Chaudhary, Jack Edwards, and Mitchell Owen.

San Francisco Unicorns (SFU)

Led by Matthew Short, the team features: Finn Allen (WK), Zia-ul-Haq, Connor Esterhuizen, Saideep Ganesh (WK), Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (WK), Ollie Peake, Aakarshit Gomel, Xavier Bartlett, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ilyas, Juanoy Drysdale, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Aaron Hardie, and Anirudh Immanuel.

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Seattle Orcas (SO)

With Marcus Stoinis as captain, the squad includes: Shimron Hetmyer, Shehan Jayasuriya, Tim Seifert (WK), Shayan Jahangir, Matthew Breetzke, Sujit Nayak, Sharad Lumba, Rahul Jariwala (WK), Tim Robinson, Cameron Gannon, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman, Harmeet Singh, Tanveer Sangha, Jasdeep Singh, Ayan Desai, Dasun Shanaka, and Ali Sheikh.

The stage is set for a thrilling month of cricket. With such depth in every lineup, the competition promises to be fierce as these world-class athletes vie for the 2026 title.

Ali Naseer

Ali Naseer is a senior sports correspondent for The News International, known for his authoritative coverage of Pakistan cricket and his razor‑sharp technical analysis. A graduate of the University of Karachi, he began his career documenting club cricket in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Northern Areas, bringing to light the raw fast‑bowling talent that has become Pakistan’s hallmark. Ali’s work now spans global ICC tournaments and every edition of the Pakistan Super League, where he is a familiar face in the press box. He combines an intimate knowledge of the domestic structure with an ability to break down high‑pressure match situations for a national readership. His columns on the art of reverse swing and the history of Pakistani pace bowlers have become essential reading for fans. Twice honoured by the APNS and his own paper, Ali remains dedicated to telling the stories of the players and places that keep Pakistan cricket alive.