The third edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) ran from June 12 to July 13, 2025. The season was expanded to 34 matches, up from 25 in the previous edition. MI New York won the 2025 MLC championship, securing their second league title by defeating Washington Freedom by five runs in a dramatic final-over thriller.
Top Batting Performances
1. Monank Patel
Monank Patel was the leading run-scorer of the tournament and the standout performer for MI New York, helping them clinch their second MLC title. Patel scored 478 runs in 13 innings, averaging 36.76 with a blazing strike rate of 142.26, smashing 48 fours and 18 sixes. He scored four half-centuries and finished as the Orange Cap holder. One of the defining moments came against the Seattle Orcas when he smashed 93, the highest individual score by an American player in MLC history at that stage. The innings powered MI New York to a seven-wicket victory.
2. Faf du Plessis
Texas Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis ended the tournament as the highest run-scorer for his franchise. Leading from the front, Faf scored 468 runs in 10 innings, averaging 52 with an astonishing strike rate of 170.18. He smashed 38 fours and 27 sixes. His breakout knock came against MI New York when he scored 103 off 53 balls, making him the first player to register three centuries in MLC history. As captain, du Plessis led Texas Super Kings into the playoffs, where they lost Qualifier 2 to MI New York by seven wickets.
3. Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock played an anchored season for MI New York in their title-winning campaign, finishing as the second-leading run-scorer for the franchise behind Monank Patel. He scored 373 runs in 12 innings, averaging 31.08 with a strike rate of 142.91, hitting 35 fours and 18 sixes. De Kock registered four half-centuries, with a highest score of 77 off 46 balls, which came in the MLC 2025 final against Washington Freedom. Attacking early on, he brought up a blistering half-century in 31 balls. Alongside Monank Patel, he stitched together a 72-run opening stand and took MI New York to a respectable total.
Top Bowling Performances
1. Xavier Bartlett
Xavier Bartlett made his MLC debut for San Francisco Unicorns under head coach Shane Watson and finished as the leading wicket-taker in his first season, taking 18 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 19.78. He took a pair of four-wicket hauls in MLC 2025, including superb spells of 4/28 against Los Angeles Knight Riders and 4/32 against Washington Freedom. He also played one of the finest knocks with the bat against MI New York. Chasing 183 at the Oakland Coliseum, the Unicorns collapsed to 108/6 in the 13th over. Walking out at No. 8, Bartlett smashed his maiden T20 half-century, finishing on a blazing 59 off just 25 balls.
2. Haris Rauf
Alongside Xavier Bartlett, Haris Rauf dismantled batting line-ups for San Francisco Unicorns. He finished as the second-leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets in eight innings at an average of 15.05. Rauf set the tone for the Unicorns right from the first match, picking up 3/30 against Washington Freedom. His best spell came against Los Angeles Knight Riders, where he took 4/41. Haris Rauf led the wicket-taking charts until the end of June before suffering a Grade 1 hamstring injury. The medical team ruled him out of the remaining fixtures, and his absence hit SFU hard as they were knocked out by MI New York in the Eliminator by two wickets.
3. Noor Ahmad
Noor Ahmad finished as the leading wicket-taker for Texas Super Kings, claiming 15 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 22.53. He was the standout spin bowler in MLC 2025. Coming off a strong IPL 2025 campaign in which he took 24 wickets, he carried that momentum into MLC for the same franchise. His standout performance came against Los Angeles Knight Riders, where he delivered his best spell, claiming 4 wickets for just 22 runs. His best dismissal sequence came when he removed Andre Russell for just one run and then dismissed Sunil Narine on the very next ball.
