The upcoming MLC 2025 season will see two major Australian names, Pat Cummins and Travis Head, skip the league. Head, who played a pivotal role in Washington Freedom’s title run last season with an impressive 336 runs in 9 innings, had previously mentioned his plans to restrict himself to two franchise leagues per year while he’s an active Test cricketer. This aligns with the Australian team’s upcoming Test series in the West Indies, which explains the unavailability of both players.
Washington Freedom’s Retentions and Changes
Despite Head’s absence, Washington Freedom has managed to retain several stars. Steven Smith, although retained, raises some questions about his availability due to his commitments to Australia’s Test side. However, they’ve held onto the largest number of international players, with Glenn Maxwell, Jack Edwards, and Lockie Ferguson set to return and defend the title. The club has also released Akeal Hosein and Andrew Tye, along with Head.
San Francisco Unicorns’ Struggles with Unavailability
As for the San Francisco Unicorns, they’ve been impacted by several absences. In addition to Pat Cummins, Josh Inglis will also miss out, again due to Australia’s Test commitments. On a positive note, Haris Rauf will be the only Pakistani player retained, alongside domestic stars Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matthew Short, and Finn Allen—who will continue to form a strong top-order for the Unicorns.
Australia’s ODI defeat against Sri Lanka lost the series 2-0
MI New York Faces Surprises in Retention Choices
MI New York has made some surprising decisions in their retentions. While Keiron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan, and Trent Boult will return, there were unexpected exclusions, most notably Kagiso Rabada and Dewald Brevis, who played key roles in MI’s title win earlier this year. The move to disengage with Tim David, previously released from both IPL and SA20 rosters, was anticipated but still notable.
Orcas Shake Up Their International Roster
In a notable shift, Orcas have decided to keep only their South African duo of Ryan Rickleton and Henrich Klaasen, making significant changes to their international lineup. Quinton de Kock has been released after two seasons, along with Michael Bracewell, Nandre Burger, and four other foreign players.
Texas Super Kings’ Retention Plans
The Texas Super Kings will continue to rely on Faf du Plessis, who topped the run charts last year and will return at the age of nearly 41. Alongside him, Marcus Stoinis—who has recently retired from ODIs—and Devon Conway will return for another season. However, the Super Kings have reduced their foreign contingent, with Mitchell Santner, Daryl Mitchell, Naveen Ul Haq, and Aiden Markram all being released.
Los Angeles Knight Riders to Make Major Changes
After failing to make it to the playoffs for two consecutive years, the Los Angeles Knight Riders are opting for a major overhaul of their foreign contingent. While Sunil Narine and Andre Russell remain core players, there have been significant releases, including Jason Roy, David Miller, Alex Carey, Shakib Al Hasan, and Josh Little.
