5 best bowlers to watch out for in MLC 2024 ft. Pat Cummins

The second season of Major League Cricket, the primary franchise cricket tournament of the United States of America will get underway on Friday, July 5 in a match between MI New York and Seattle Orcas in Morrisville.

The first season of the MLC was a major success last year, with MI New York beating Seattle Orcas in the final at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas by 7 wickets to lift the title.

This time around, a lot of marquee players have been picked up by the teams in the draft, and one can expect enthralling cricket to come our way at all times. It will be good fun to watch, for sure.

In this listicle, we take a look at the five best bowlers to watch out for in MLC 2024:

#1 Noor Ahmad (Texas Super Kings)

Noor Ahmad in action for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad will turn up for the Texas Super Kings in the MLC this season. He is a phenomenal talent and is quite in demand across the world for his skills.

He will have a big role to play for the Super Kings this season and hope to pick up wickets either inside or outside the powerplay, whenever skipper Faf du Plessis trusts him to do the job well.

Ahmad has a lot of skill in getting the ball to turn both ways, which makes him such a dangerous proposition to face as a batter in T20 cricket.

#2 Adam Zampa (Los Angeles Knight Riders)

Adam Zampa of Australia celebrates in the Super Eight match between Afghanistan and Australia at Arnos Vale Ground on June 22, 2024 in St Vincent, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who is turning up for the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the MLC this year, will have a vital role to play for them.

Given that he did not play in the IPL this year citing family commitments, Zampa will have to be at his best and provide his franchise with the value for money they always seek.

The ace leggie has a lot of variations up his sleeve and will be keen on testing them out in the conditions where he and his Australian teammates have just returned from playing in a T20 World Cup.

#3 Ali Khan (Los Angeles Knight Riders)

Ali Khan in a practice session.

Apart from Adam Zampa, LA Knight Riders will have the luxury of calling upon the services of USA fast bowler Ali Khan whenever needed.

Khan earned a lot of plaudits for his raw pace in the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup and will be keen on building on that in this tournament.

He will be given the responsibility to lead the LAKR attack in this tournament, as he did in the previous season, and work alongside the likes of Joshua Little, Waqar Salamkheil, Spencer Johnson and Zampa.

#4 Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom)

Saurabh Netravalkar in the match between USA and South Africa at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on June 19, 2024 in Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Saurabh Netravalkar, who won a million hearts owing to the stupendous way he performed in the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup for the USA, will take the mantle for Washington Freedom in the MLC this season.

He was the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament last season with 10 scalps to his name; that dangerous spell of 6-9 against San Francisco Unicorns brought him to the limelight.

The left-arm seamer has a lot of options under his belt and yet does well by pitching the ball at one particular area consistently. He will have a lot to live up to in the MLC this year.

#5 Pat Cummins (San Francisco Unicorns)

Australia's Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins, who is one of the most sought-after players across the globe, will represent the San Francisco Unicorns in this tournament.

Cummins, who led the Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final of the IPL earlier this year, has also been given the responsibility of skippering his franchise in the MLC.

The 31-year-old has developed a slower-ball bouncer that will keep him in good stead, both in this tournament and in T20 cricket going forward, whenever batters look to take him on.