MLC to host its maiden season draft in Houston

The United States of America’s Major League Cricket will host its inaugural season draft in Huston on Monday, March 20. The first draft of MLC will be held at the Space Center Houston, located at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

There will be six teams participating in the maiden season of MLC. San Francisco Unicorns, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle Orcas, Texas and Washington D.C. are the six teams competing in the new Twenty20 tournament in the United States. The tournament will commence on July 13 this year at the newly-constructed MLC venue, Grand Prairie Stadium, in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Owners of multiple IPL franchises have invested in or partnered with MLC teams, including Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals. MI acquired New York franchise, CSK in its latest acquisition bid has acquired the Texas franchise. Meanwhile, DC have bought a stake in the Seattle franchise and KKR had taken charge of the Los Angeles franchise.

Several MLC teams have already unveiled their name and logo ahead of the draft. Notably, the teams will also announce the selected overseas players soon.

MLC inaugural season draft has nine rounds

The Seattle Orcas hold the first pick for the Domestic Player Draft after a randomized order draws held on March 13, at the Westin Oaks Houston in front of MLC team representatives. The Washington Freedom picks second followed by the New York franchise, the San Francisco Unicorns, and the Los Angeles Knight Riders. Meanwhile, the name of the Texas team is yet to be announced.

The draft will last nine rounds and each team has three minutes to make their selections in rounds one to five and will get two minutes in rounds six to nine. The last round will consist of a rookie player selection (Under-23). If a team selects a U-23 player in any of the rounds from one to eight must select a U-23 player in the last round.