IPL Founder Calls MLC a “Complete Disaster”

The 2026 MLC season in the USA kicks off June 18, concluding with the championship final exactly one month later on July 18.

IPL Founder Calls MLC a “Complete Disaster”

Lalit Modi termed the MLC as a 'disaster'. (via India TV)

In Short
  • Lalit Modi criticized Major League Cricket, calling it a "complete disaster."
  • The MLC has gained popularity and investment, valued at around $6.9 million.
  • Ravichandran Ashwin's signing marks a historic moment as the first Indian player in MLC.

Just after claiming that England’s Hundred competition is destined to fail, former IPL chairman-turned fugitive Lalit Modi made a bold suggestion about Major League Cricket. He went to the extent of asserting that the US-based MLC has been a ‘complete disaster’. 

What initially began as an initiative to broaden the sport’s reach in the USA, Major League Cricket has now transformed into one of the most popular cricketing leagues in the world. MLC’s rise has been backed by the massive investment and its ‘private equity’ model. As the official top-tier league in the country, MLC is also regarded by many as a foundation for cricket’s return to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The league is currently valued at around $6.9 million and stands eighth among the richest in the world. Four of the six franchises in the tournament are co-owned or owned by the IPL team owners, including MI New York, Texas Super Kings, Los Angeles Knight Riders, and Seattle Orcas. MLC’s rise is also evident from the fact that the league has attracted a host of top T20 talents, including players like Rashid Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult, and many others.  

However, this development has failed to move ex-cricket administrator Lalit Modi, who has maintained his view that MLC has been a ‘disaster’. The founder of the IPL, Modi, most recently, made some stirring remarks on his interaction with former England captain Michael Vaughan on The Overlap Cricket podcast. He had even suggested that leagues, outside the Indian Premier League, have fared poorly. 

On the MLC, the 62-year-old suggested that it has been an utter failure, while also comparing it to the UAE-based ILT20. He, in fact, went on to predict that the SA20 is the only league that might survive, given its ability to build passion.

Modi even recalled his conversation with Irish businessman Denis O’Brien, the man behind the CPL, about how to popularize a cricketing league, which also involved advice on securing a domestic fan base and ensuring stadiums are full. Lalit Modi on The Overlap Cricket podcast.

The MLC is a complete disaster, similar to the middle-eastern league (ILT20). Okay. What is going to survive is the South African league, it is not going to make money but will be housefull.

It remains to be seen whether Lalit Modi’s prediction holds true for the MLC, which has driven cricket fans in the United States into a frenzy. Even in the World Cricketer’s Association (WCA) rankings for franchise leagues, the MLC was ranked sixth, ahead of the CPL or the ILT20. 

R Ashwin’s MLC move: Why does it matter for US cricket?

While R Ashwin might have announced his retirement, his move to MLC marks a watershed moment for the US-based league. The former Indian spinner, who has claimed over 700 international wickets, has been signed by Major League side San Francisco Unicorns. 

R Ashwin to MLC
R Ashwin will be the first Indian player in the MLC, having been signed by Washington Freedom. (via NDTV Sports)

Ashwin announced his retirement from the IPL last year, following which he stated his desire to play in franchise T20 leagues around the world. He was set to play for Sydney Thunder in the 2025-26 Big Bash League, but withdrew due to a knee injury. Putting his name in the draft list for the upcoming 2026 MLC season, Ashwin was among the foreign players picked by the Unicorns, last season’s runners-up.

The 39-year-old’s move to the MLC is all the more historic, given he is India’s first capped male player to participate in the league. It also breaks a long-standing barrier that the BCCI has on active Indian players playing in leagues outside the country, with Ashwin set to become the next global ambassador of the MLC. Even CEO Johnny Grave described the move as a testament to the league’s growing stature. 

R Ashwin’s presence in the MLC could significantly increase the team’s appeal. As a globally recognized cricket star, Ashwin can draw spectators to the Oakland Coliseum, which is located near a substantial Indian population in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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