The Major League Cricket has managed to attract top talents in the last few years
Former Australia and Sunrisers Hyderabad batter David Warner has signed United States’ Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise Seattle Orcas for the upcoming season.
The franchise made the announcement on social media on Saturday.
Warner, who had a big goodbye to international cricket last year, was ignored for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as he went unsold in the auction last November alongside his former Australia team mate Steve Smith.
However, that hasn’t stopped the dashing opener from inspiring Sydney Thunder to the 2024-25 Big Bash League final who came closest to the title for the first time in nine years. Warner led the team by example as he scored 405 runs from 12 innings at an average of 45 and finished as the second highest run-scorer in the tournament.
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The 38-year-old has seen dwindling returns in the IPL after being part of the league since the second season in 2009. After playing five seasons for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and scoring 1,435 runs from 55 matches for them, Warner moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2015 where he would make history. The Aussie opener captained an unheralded SRH side to the title for the first time in their history.
Despite finishing third in the league table, SRH managed to beat an in-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru at their own ground as Warner starred in the final with 68 off 38 balls.
Under his captaincy, SRH emerged as the new power in the league dominated by Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings as they reached the playoffs for the next four seasons. However, a poor run in the 2021 season where they lost a whopping 11 out of the 14 league matches, the franchise management booted Warner off the captaincy and then from the playing XI itself.
Warner moved back to Delhi Capitals for a second stint that lasted three seasons and scored 1,116 in 34 games with each season showcasing his waning powers.
With the IPL franchises unlikely to call him up as a replacement, Warner moved on to the Pakistan Super League, captaining Karachi Kings in his first season. So far they have won two of the three matches in PSL 2025 and are third in the table.
Seattle Orcas have featured in both the seasons of MLC so far. In the inaugural 2023 edition, the Orcas reached the playoffs and last season, they finished bottom of the six-team table.
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