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Familiar faces (and franchises) are coming to America 🇺🇸

Four IPL franchises are set to feature in America's newly formed Major League Cricket as well as a number of star players...

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Diamond Duck 💎🦆
March 25, 2023

Welcome to the Diamond Duck, the cricket newsletter which is Out first ball every weekend…

At the crease this week:

  • The launch of Major League Cricket in America

  • Ponting’s opinion on the ‘Impact Player Rule’

  • Issy Wong hat-trick helps Mumbai Indians to WPL final

Opening Up

Familiar faces (and franchises) are coming to America 🇺🇸

Last weekend, Major League Cricket (MLC) launched at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston with the first round of the inaugural player draft.

International stars such as South Africans Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje, Australians, Mitch Marsh, Aaron Finch, and Marcus Stoinis, and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga have all been signed up to play stateside in July.

And it turns out they’ll be representing some familiar franchises, too.

Of the six teams that will compete in the event, four are either wholly or partially owned by current Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises; Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals.

KKR owns the Los Angeles-based team, the Los Angeles Knight Riders, CSK takes charge of the Texas Super Kings, and the Mumbai Indians has purchased the New York-based franchise, naming it MI New York. Additionally, alongside Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, GMR Group, who own the Delhi Capitals, will own the Seattle Orcas.

Middle Order

IPL ‘Impact Rule’ could make all-rounders obsolete 🏏 

During the upcoming IPL season, we are set to see the introduction of the ‘Impact Player’ rule in a bid to emulate sports like football, basketball and rugby.

This rule will allow teams to make one substitution during the game. Unlike a substitute fielder, this player will be allowed to bat and/or bowl and the player that they replace will not be able to return to the field of play.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has said that he feels this rule will make all-rounders less valuable, unless they are absolutely world class in either discipline.

"Actually, it almost negates the role of all-rounders in the game now as you don't need to pick all-rounders, name a batting or bowling heavy team and just take one out and bring another one in.”

Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals
Tail End

  • Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been chosen to spearhead the Welsh Fire's attempted revival in The Hundred men's tournament.

  • England’s Issy Wong has helped the Mumbai Indians into the inaugural WPL final with historic first hat-trick.

  • Dhananjaya de Silva has rebuffed reports he refused to bat at No.7 for Sri Lanka in their upcoming ODIs against New Zealand.

  • Afghanistan gets first ever T20 win over Pakistan in series opener in Sharjah.

  • Stars such as Babar Azam, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, and Trent Boult have all gone unsold for this summer’s The Hundred.

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