In a groundbreaking announcement, Major League Cricket (MLC) revealed that CBS Sports Network will broadcast live coverage of selected matches during its historic inaugural season in July. This partnership marks a significant milestone for America’s new professional cricket league, showcasing top players from around the world competing on U.S. soil for the first time on one of the nation’s leading sports channels.
The action kicks off on Monday, July 17, as the Texas Super Kings take on MI New York, airing live from 6:30 PM to 12:00 AM ET. Coverage continues on Friday, July 21, featuring the Seattle Orcas and the Texas Super Kings, from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM ET. On Monday, July 24, the San Francisco Unicorns face off against the Texas Super Kings, with live coverage from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM ET.
CBS Sports Network’s broadcasts promise a world-class production, featuring a comprehensive 30-camera setup capturing the matches at Grand Prairie Stadium in North Texas and Church Street Park in North Carolina. The commentary team boasts esteemed cricket figures such as Sunil Gavaskar from India, former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, former New Zealand international Danny Morrison, and former Zimbabwe international Mpumelelo Mbangwa. Alongside them, experienced announcers Natalie Germanos (South Africa) and Alan Wilkins (Wales), along with rising star Nikhil Uttamchandani (Barbados), complete the expert panel.
The MLC’s inaugural season, spanning from July 13 to 30, will feature six teams: the Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom. These squads will showcase a lineup of superstar players, including Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid Khan, Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf, South African internationals Faf du Plessis and David Miller, West Indian stars Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell, Australian talents Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Finch, England’s Jason Roy, and New Zealand’s Trent Boult.
Vijay Srinivasan, Co-founder of Major League Cricket, expressed his excitement, stating, “Major League Cricket showcases the very best players from the world’s second most popular sport playing right here in America. Billions of fans worldwide love this sport, and we’re delighted to bring adrenaline-packed matches taking place this July, in front of sold-out crowds in Texas and North Carolina, to the wide audience CBS Sports Network reaches.”
Grand Prairie Stadium, a state-of-the-art cricket-specific venue located in the Dallas area, will serve as the host for 12 matches in this groundbreaking American professional cricket championship, with an additional seven matches taking place at Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.