MI New York vs Seattle Orcas MLC 2024 Match 1

Defending champions MI New York will host 2023 finalists Seattle Orcas in the opening game of Major League Cricket 2024 at Church Street Park in Morrisville on Saturday, July 6 at 1:00 AM IST. The Kieron Pollard-led side had a rough time in last year's league stage, but they dominated the latter half of the tournament. MI New York had to take the difficult path. Still, they arrived in the final with high momentum after winning the eliminator against Washington Freedom and eliminating Texas Super Kings in the challenger, setting up the final encounter last year.

MI New York vs Seattle Orcas MLC 2024 Match 1 Preview

The key to the defending champions MI New York's success in the inaugural season has been the performance of young South African talent Dewald Brevis. The 20-year-old batsman played a crucial innings of 57 runs against Washington and followed it up with an unbeaten 41 against Texas. He came in to bat at number four and helped guide his team to victory in a close run chase. New York successfully chased down their target of 159 runs with an over to spare. 

Their batting depth was evident in the match, with significant contributions from middle-order players like Tim David, David Wiese, and Brevis. It's also worth noting the impactful performance of left-arm pacer Trent Boult. They possess some of the most potent strikers, including Nicholas Pooran, Tim David, and Steven Taylor. At the same time, among bowlers, Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Anrich Nortje, and Kagiso Rabada can effectively lead any attack.

On the flip side, Seattle's bowling unit is a bit concerning. Zaman Khan and Nandre Burger are two exciting options, but stopping New York's batting-heavy side may be difficult. Among batters, Aaron Jones, Quinton de Kock, and Heinrich Klaasen will be extremely vital. Pakistan's Imad Wasim can also be crucial on the slow pitches of the United States. Seattle Orcas have been the second-best side in the first-ever edition of Major League Cricket, winning the group stage with four wins from five and eight points to their name. They booked their place in the final in style. A brilliant bowling performance set the tone for them.

Church Street Park in Morrisville Pitch Report

The highly anticipated Major League Cricket 2024 is scheduled to begin on Saturday, July 6, at 1:00 AM IST at Church Street Park in Morrisville. The highly anticipated first match is MI New York (NY) vs Seattle Orcas (SEA). Notably, MI New York emerged victorious from the inaugural season, defeating the Seattle Orcas in the championship match to claim the coveted trophy. The two sides will also be motivated to get off to a strong start in the MLC 2024 opener. The Church Street Park in Morrisville is famous for its batting-friendly conditions. The small boundaries and consistent bounce make it a high-scoring venue. Fast bowlers will need to maintain accuracy with their lines and lengths to be effective. It's a decent track. Bowling first will help, and anything over 175 runs will be a good score on the surface. 

Probable MI New York Playing XI for MLC 2024 Match 1

Kieron Pollard-led MI New York has a well-balanced squad heading into the competition. Nicholas Pooran, who played a match-winning innings in last year's final, will lead MI's batting unit alongside the dynamic duo of Pollard and Tim David. Additionally, all eyes will be on Steven Taylor and Dewald Brevis, who can stun the opposition with their scintillating stroke play at the top. MI New York's fast bowling attack appears formidable, led by three aggressive pacers: Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje. Rashid Khan's presence as the primary spinner also makes their bowling unit potent in any conditions.

MI New York Playing XI

Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir, Monank Patel (WK), Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (C), Tim David, Dewald Brewis, Rashid Khan, Romario Shepherd, Trent Boult, Ehsan Adil

Kieron Pollard (C), Nicholas Pooran (WK), Steven Taylor, Monank Patel (WK), Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Shayan Jahangir, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Nosthush Kenjige, Ehsan Adil, Ruben Clinton, Heath Richards, Rashid Khan, Rushil Ugarkar, Romario Shepherd, Sunny Patel.

Probable Seattle Orcas Playing XI for MLC 2024 Match 1

Seattle Orcas boast a strong South African batting lineup, including Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, and Heinrich Klaasen. Aaron Jones will bat in the middle order, with Michael Bracewell and Imad Wasim as the specialist all-rounders after gaining attention during the recently held T20 World Cup 2024. Nandre Burger is expected to lead the bowling attack for the Orcas, supported by Wayne Parnell, Obed McCoy, and Zaman Khan.

Seattle Orcas Playing XI

Quinton de Kock (WK), Nauman Anwar, Shehan Jayasuriya, Heinrich Klaasen, Shubham Ranjane, Imad Wasim, Michael Bracewell, Wayne Parnell (C), Harmeet Singh, Obed McCoy, Cameron Gannon

Wayne Parnell (C), Aaron Jones, Hammad Azam, Nauman Anwar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton De Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton, Cameron Gannon, Nandre Burger, Zaman Khan, Harmeet Singh, Imad Wasim, Michael Bracewell, Ayan Desai, Shehan Jayasuriya, Shubham Ranjane, Ali Sheikh.