Liam Plunkett confident USA’s new Major League Cricket will attract top stars
Liam Plunkett believes England’s top stars will find it hard to resist the attraction of the big-money Major League Cricket competition in the United States next summer.
The inaugural 20-over event is set to involve franchises based in six US cities and offer higher salaries than any league in the world with the exception of the Indian Premier League.
Former England pace bowler Plunkett, part of the 2019 World Cup-winning team, is set to play in the competition next June and July and expects many current national team players to be tempted.
“Americans want to watch the best and I think we can attract them,” he told the Daily Mail.
“I think they will definitely jump on board when they see how big it is. With how many people love cricket here and the way Americans put on a show, you will get packed-out crowds.
“Hopefully you will get people like Jonny Bairstow, Andre Russell, all of these guys coming across to play. It is a lot of people’s dream to play sport in America.”
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will also be partly held in the US, as well as the West Indies, and the ICC is also committed to including cricket in the LA Olympics as the popularity of the sport continues to grow across the pond.
Indeed, there are currently several betting sites in the US that provide cricket markets. Top sportsbooks see wagering on leagues like the IPL, Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, T20 Blast, and others because of their competitive odds and numerous betting options.
Cricket’s increasing popularity in American pop culture is sure that more people are becoming interested in the game. The tiniest acorns have the potential to grow into majestic oaks.
Plunkett added: “With the money that’s behind this, it’s going to be massive.
“It’s ‘go big or go home’. That is how they do stuff in America.”
MLC, which is sanctioned by USA Cricket, has secured investment from more than 20 organisations and individuals including tech entrepreneurs.
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