Faf du Plessis, Travis Head, Saurabh Netravalkar among top performers in MLC Season 2
Faf du Plessis (X Photo)
The second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2024 witnessed a significant expansion, growing from 19 matches in the inaugural 2023 edition to 25 matches. Washington Freedom emerged as the dominant force, topping the league stage with five wins from seven games (including one no result) and went on to clinch the title with a commanding 96-run win over San Francisco Unicorns in the final.
The playoffs also featured Texas Super Kings and defending champions MI New York, but it was Washington's all-round strength that shone through the tournament. Their players dominated both the run-scorers and wicket-takers charts, underlining their superiority across departments.
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Despite Washington's team success, the top run-scorer of the season was Texas Super Kings' veteran batter
Faf du Plessis
, who amassed 420 runs in 8 games at a blistering strike rate of 171.42.
He was followed by Washington Freedom's Australian duo Steve Smith and Travis Head, who both scored 336 runs. Head was particularly impactful and was deservedly named Most Valuable Player of the season.
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San Francisco Unicorns' aggressive batter Finn Allen also impressed with 306 runs from nine matches, while Texas Super Kings' Devon Conway rounded off the top five with 293 runs.
On the bowling front, Washington's Saurabh Netravalkar led the charts with 15 wickets, followed by teammate Rachin Ravindra with 12.
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Marco Jansen (Washington Freedom) and Cameron Gannon (Seattle Orcas) shared the third spot with 11 wickets each.
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The joint fifth position in the wicket-takers list featured a four-way tie with 10 wickets apiece – Glenn Maxwell and Lockie Ferguson (Washington), Hassan Khan (San Francisco Unicorns), and Rashid Khan (MI New York). Notably,
Hassan Khan was recognised as the Domestic Player of the Season for his crucial performances.
Overall, Washington Freedom's dominance ensured their players featured prominently among the season's standout performers, making MLC Season 2 a showcase of both international firepower and domestic promise.
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