MLC 2026: MI Family, MI Team, MI New York is ready to roar
By MI New York Media
The fourth edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) Tournament kicks off on 20th June 2026 and defending champions MI New York arrive with a squad packed with match winners, proven champions and a dressing room that understands exactly what it takes to win trophies. MI New York is the only team in MLC history to have won two championships, conquering a victory during the inaugural season (2023) and reclaiming their throne last year (2025). This time around, the challenge ahead will be fierce, but if history has taught us anything…it is this team that knows exactly how to handle big occasions. The stars are aligned and with a perfect blend of experience and young guns…the stage is set for another summer filled with ambition, belief and full of dreams.
The core that brought success to the team over the years remains intact, while gen next understands the expectations that come with wearing the MI New York badge. This team’s mindset is built on belief, resilience and the ability to perform when pressure is at its peak. This year, six teams compete in a double round robin format, facing each opponent twice across 10 league games. The top four teams then progress to the playoffs, which sets the tone for an exciting race to be crowned MLC 2026 champions.
MI New York’s league campaign which promises to be a blockbuster begins in Texas where they meet opponents and last year’s finalist Washington Freedom followed by Texas Super Kings at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium. From there, the team heads west to California where Oakland Coliseum will host key encounters once again versus the Super Kings and then Los Angeles Knight Riders. The action then moves to Fairplex Pomona with battles against Seattle Orcas, LA Knight Riders and San Francisco Unicorns. The final leg takes the Men in Blue and Gold back to Texas where San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas and Washington Freedom will be ready to face them.
Some key talents to watch out for this year would be Tajinder Singh and his raw power that makes him a dangerous lower order weapon. Nosthush Kenjige, the dependable left arm spinner offers variation and control. Kunwarjeet Singh adds balance to the side with his all-round abilities. Last year's star in the final, Rushil Ugarkar has been fantastic with the ball, delivering under pressure situations.
Agni Chopra, the elegant batter can shift gears rapidly while Monank Patel’s consistency and composure offers a vital top order presence along with being a good wicket keeping option. Sunny Patel, another good batting all-rounder has shown us how dangerous he can be. Faisal Ahmadzai, the exciting new talent could add his own magic to the side if given a chance. Tristan Luus the young speedster brings pace, bounce and can snap wickets at regular intervals.
Walking down memory lane let us relive some interesting statistics from the 2025 season. MI New York won against Washington Freedom by a thrilling five runs margin in the final. Our very own Monank Patel was the top run scorer with 478 runs in 13 matches, which included four half tons. Quinton de Kock amassed 373 runs in 12 matches while Nicolas Pooran made 360 runs in 13 games including a brilliant 108* in 60 balls versus Seattle Orcas. The young star who lit up the league was Rushil Ugarkar, who picked 11 wickets in 8 matches.
Come 2026, the Men in Blue and Gold are ready to defend their crown, chase history and write another golden chapter in MLC.
MI New York league stage match schedule:
Date | Teams | Venue | Time |
20th June 2026 | Washington Freedom Vs MI New York | Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas | 7:30 pm CST |
21st June 2026 | Texas Super Kings Vs MI New York | Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas | 7:30 pm CST |
26th June 2026 | MI New York Vs Texas Super Kings | Oakland Coliseum, California | 2:30 pm PST |
27th June 2026 | MI New York Vs Los Angeles Lakers | Oakland Coliseum, California | 2:30 pm PST |
2nd July 2026 | Seattle Orcas Vs MI New York | Fairplex Pomona, California | 6:30 pm PST |
4th July 2026 | Los Angeles Knight Riders Vs MI New York | Fairplex Pomona, California | 6:30 pm PST |
5th July 2026 | San Francisco Unicorns Vs MI New York | Fairplex Pomona, California | 6:30 pm PST |
8th July 2026 | MI New York Vs San Francisco Unicorns | Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas | 7:30 pm CST |
10 July 2026 | MI New York Vs Seattle Orcas | Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas | 3:30 pm CST |
12th July 2026 | MI New York Vs Washington Freedom | Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas | 3:30 pm CST |
LATEST
“It’s a tough pill to swallow”
It’s never easy knowing 266 wasn’t enough on the day. A record 29 sixes were hit by MI New York – the most ever in a T20 innings. On nights like these when lightning strikes twice, you don’t fight the powers. You just accept it wasn’t out night.“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” said Mark Boucher at the post-match press conference. “I think this ground is very small. In the beginning stages of the tournament, the wickets weren’t as good as they are now. It made bowling extremely tough. The dew factor at the backend of the game made bowling extremely tough for the bowlers and the fielders. But in saying that, we had our chances. If we had taken those chances, we could have built a bit of pressure. We knew when we scored our total, on a pitch that is good and small boundaries, if there was one team that could chase this down, it was these guys.”MI New York’s MLC 2026 campaign might have come to an end, but it was eventful and certainly memorable. We gained momentum and peaked at the right time, with all parts of the puzzle seemingly falling in place. “The one area where we’ve struggled throughout the tournament has been our batting. We haven’t got any flow in our batting in the tournament. Coming into the game today, even though we lost the last game, I thought there was something going there. Nicky’s (Pooran) knock was fantastic. Quinny (de Kock) got us off to a good start as well. Polly coming in. We put on a really good score and our batters did really well. In the middle stages of the tournament, our bowlers really kept us in the tournament,” he said. Whether it was Kieron Pollard pulling out matches from the dead, something he’s done for the Blue and Gold for over 17 years now, or whether it was Tajinder Dhillon’s cameos, or Rushil Ugarkar’s large-hearted bowling, Quinton de Kock’s typically Quinny-like starts, or a record-breaking final flourish, there certainly has been enough for us to celebrate. Let’s give it some time. When the disappointment withers, what will remain is pride, the pride we have in this side. This is MI city, this is MI team, we are MI New York. 17 Jul, 2026Celebrating a 106(33), that is enough on most days…
…Sadly, this wasn’t one of those. But when the dust settles and the disappointment of seeing a massive total being overhauled dies down, we’ll the pride in this MONSTER NICHOLAS POORAN knock. He loves these knockout games in the MLC, doesn’t he! Against the Washington Freedom in the Eliminator, he wasted no time settling in. The first ball was a single. Ball 2: SIXBall 3: SIXBall 4: SIXBall 5: FOURThis was followed by another 6, 4, 0, 6, 6, 6 to bring up his fifty off just 14 balls. None of them were mishits in any sense. Reading the bowling to perfection, he was happy to step out and go over long-off, pull away the short stuff, tonk them down the ground, cut them through point. Just peak, beast mode. He wasn’t backing down. Against Nikhil Chaudhary’s off-spin, he kept the fifth gear going. 6, 4, 1, 0, 4, 6, 4, 6 across two overs, and he had the fastest MLC century, off just 31 balls. He fell immediately after. All this inside the 12th over. Sheer madness was on display. Again, it might get forgotten given what happened in the second innings and how Washington chased down a mammoth total, but it was a knock for the ages nevertheless. Nicky P has added another feather that sits alongside his iconic 137* from 2023!16 Jul, 2026The Eliminator report: Crazy game, but ends in heartbreak :(
266 runs chased down. 51 sixes hit in the game. It’s probably a once in a lifetime moment, and the partnership of 241 runs in just 89 balls between Steven Smith and Andries Gous was again one of those, seen now, might never be seen again moments. Alas, it came against us in the Eliminator. A crazy game, but on the wrong side of the result.. Nicholas Pooran: 106 (33)“It wasn’t meant to be,” our skipper said at the post-match presentation. But his knock deserves all the appreciation. Five fours, 13 sixes, and a century off just 31 balls. It was peak Nicky P. Beast Nicky P. He was just unstoppable, smashing everything around for fun. Imagine a 24-ball 51 by Quinton de Kock felt like second fiddle! And then Polly goes wild!Pooran came, smashed, and was done by the 12th over. Kieron Pollard took it upon himself to carry the baton forward. With a 25-ball 64, he kept the shots coming, the sixes flowing, and ensured MINY finished strong. The final 266/9 came via Trent Boult and his 10-ball 22. That Smith-Gous stand On most days, a target of 267 is daunting enough. But lightning struck twice, first in the form of Pooran’s brilliant century, and then with Gous’ 51-ball 132 and Smith’s 48-ball 110. They rode their luck, but it just felt written in the stars. Ruing the missed chances 9.4: Smith gets a life 10.1: Smith gets put down again 10.6: Now Gous is dropped11.5: Both the bowler and the keeper miss a run-out chance In 13 balls, with four chances gone down, the signs were clear. It simply wasn’t our day. The batters then switched gears and went on a rampage, with 29 runs coming off the 13th over, 21 off the 14th and 31 off the 15th, virtually killing the game. This is where it ends. 2026 wasn’t to be. It’s a tough one to swallow. But once the dust settles, we’ll look back at how heartwarming this season has been with new heroes stepping up, older ones turning back the clock, and wins pulled off from nowhere. 15 Jul, 2026
