Nicholas Pooran and Trent Boult emerge as standout players in Major League Cricket Season 1
File Pic: Nicholas Pooran and Trent Boult (MLC Photo)
The inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023 concluded with MI New York lifting the trophy in emphatic style, defeating Seattle Orcas in the final. Sneaking into the playoffs as the fourth-placed team after the league stage, MI New York's success was built on the back of stellar performances from their international stars — particularly West Indian batter
Nicholas Pooran
and New Zealand pacer
Trent Boult
.
Pooran was undoubtedly the standout performer of the season. His unbeaten 137 in the final against Seattle Orcas remains the highest individual score of the tournament and one of its defining moments.
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Across eight matches, the explosive left-hander amassed 388 runs to top the run-scoring charts, displaying remarkable consistency and finishing ability. For his heroics in the final and his consistent run throughout the league, Pooran was named the Most Valuable Player of the season.
Who's that IPL player?
On the bowling front, Trent Boult stood head and shoulders above the rest. The veteran left-arm pacer claimed 22 wickets in just eight matches — twice as many as the next best. His lethal new-ball spells and death-over control were instrumental in MI New York's title run.
Seattle Orcas, despite finishing as runners-up, also had several standout performers. Quinton de Kock (264 runs) and Heinrich Klaasen (235 runs) were key contributors with the bat, while pacers Cameron Gannon and Andrew Tye each claimed 11 wickets.
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Gannon's efforts earned him the Domestic Player of the Season award.
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Other notable mentions include Devon Conway of Texas Super Kings (221 runs) and Tim David of MI New York (209 runs), while Imad Wasim (Seattle Orcas) and Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom) impressed with 10 wickets each.
As expected, the players from the two finalists — MI New York and Seattle Orcas — dominated the charts, setting a high standard for the future of MLC.
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