iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The Major League Cricket kicked off in style in Texas with the fans cheering the teams, especially the big-hitting of the home team. The Texas Super Kings won the first match of the league by 69 runs after making 181 for six and then bowling out the Los Angeles Knight Riders for 112.
This is the most credible attempt to set up a domestic T20 tournament in the US. The cricket stadium, a 15-minute drive from Dallas Fort Worth airport, was humming with excitement as fans wearing yellow shirts to show their support for the home team, Texas Super Kings, witnessed a scintillating match studded with huge sixes.
The stadium used to belong to the now-defunct Texas Airhogs minor league baseball club. After taking over the venue, MLC has spent over $20 million to make it ready for cricket. Other T20 matches of MLC will be played in Morrisville, North Carolina, before the playoffs and final return to Texas.
Super Kings batsman David Miller, was awarded Player of the Match for his hard-hitting 61 from 42 balls, including four sixes. “It’s fantastic to see such a great turnout and the facilities have been fantastic. I think there have been a few guys, kind of questioned around what it was going to be like but it shot the lights out here,” he said. Miller is well-versed in T20 cricket as he has played in the world’s top T20 competition, the Indian Premier League (IPL).
MLC has attracted international cricketers who played alongside domestic players from the US national team. The influx of international cricket players ensured that the game was action-packed and up to professional standards. England opening batsman Jason Roy, Australian batsman Aaron Finch, South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada and West Indies spinner Sunil Narine are among the foreign players drafted by the six teams.
While various teams of MLC have got T20 cricket stars from IPL teams in its ranks, San Francisco Unicorns has a partnership with Australia’s Cricket Victoria and Washington Freedom as Cricket New South Wales as its partner.
“I am actually a little bit emotional, to be honest. This is such a grand event. There was an unbelievable atmosphere and I want to thank each and every individual who has come out here,” said Texas’ South African bowler Rusty Theron who said he was taken aback by the success of the opening game.
