MI New York, MLC 2026 Preview: Squad, Fixtures, Key Players & Predictions

Updated At: 2026-06-18

MI New York enter Major League Cricket 2026 as defending champions and one of the strongest squads in the competition. This MI New York MLC 2026 preview covers their fixtures, squad, head-to-head record, venue record, new signings and key players ahead of the new season.

MI New York won the 2025 title after a remarkable turnaround following their Eliminator exit in 2024, proving once again that tournament experience matters. The franchise has refreshed its squad with several overseas additions while retaining the core that delivered the championship.

With matches spread across Grand Prairie Stadium, Oakland Coliseum and the new Knight Riders Cricket Field, success for MI New York in MLC 2026 will mean nothing less than another title challenge.

Team full name	MI New York
MLC 2026 format	Round-robin, 10 matches per team
Main venues	Grand Prairie Stadium (Dallas), Oakland Coliseum (California), Knight Riders Cricket Field (Pomona)
2025 final position	Champion
2024 final position	Eliminator (4th)
2023 final position	Champion
Season ambition	Defend the title

MI New York — MLC Career Summary

MI New York have played 28 matches across the first three MLC seasons, winning 13 and losing 15 for an overall win percentage of 46%. Despite the modest record, they have won two championships (2023 and 2025), underlining their ability to peak at the right time.

Their highest team total remains 237 against Seattle Orcas in 2025, while their lowest is 88 against Washington Freedom in 2024. The side averages 164.8 runs per innings while conceding 168.5, showing that although results have fluctuated, MI New York have consistently been among the league's most dangerous batting units.

Metric	Value
Total matches played	28
Total wins	13
Total losses	15
Overall win %	46%
Highest team total	237 vs Seattle Orcas (2025)
Lowest team total	88 vs Washington Freedom (2024)
Average score (per innings)	164.8
Average conceded (per innings)	168.5
Best season	2023 (Champion) & 2025 (Champion)

Note: Highest/Lowest team totals and averages exclude DLS-affected innings.

MI New York Record at MLC Venues

MI New York enter MLC 2026 with an overall record of 13 wins and 15 losses from 28 matches across the competition's first three seasons, giving them a 46% win rate. While the numbers suggest a side still building consistency, the franchise has twice converted playoff appearances into championship-winning campaigns.

Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas has been MI New York's primary venue, hosting 18 of their 28 matches. They have won 8 and lost 10 there, with a 44% win rate.

The side averages 164.2 runs per innings while conceding 169.8. At Oakland Coliseum, MI New York have played three matches, winning one and losing two for a 33% win rate, although their scoring rate of 189.0 runs per innings shows their batting can thrive in California conditions.

Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona will be a complete unknown for MI New York, as no MLC matches have previously been played there. Historically, MI New York have been slightly stronger batting first at Grand Prairie Stadium (50% win rate) than while chasing (42%), while their lone Oakland victory came in a run chase.

Venue	Played	Won	Lost	Win %	Bat 1st W/P	Chase W/P	Avg Scored	Avg Conceded
Grand Prairie Stadium	18	8	10	44%	3/6 (50%)	5/12 (42%)	164.2	169.8
Oakland Coliseum	3	1	2	33%	0/1 (0%)	1/2 (50%)	189.0	191.0
Church Street Park*	4	2	2	50%	0/2 (0%)	2/2 (100%)	155.3	154.3
Central Broward*	3	2	1	67%	1/2 (50%)	1/1 (100%)	148.5	145.0
Knight Riders Cricket Field	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—

MI New York Head-to-Head Record vs Opponents

MI New York will face Washington Freedom, Texas Super Kings, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas and Los Angeles Knight Riders twice each during the MLC 2026 league stage. Their most-played rivalry is against Washington Freedom, where they trail 3-4 after seven meetings.

Texas Super Kings have been one of MI New York's toughest opponents, winning five of their seven encounters and holding a 5-2 advantage. San Francisco Unicorns have also enjoyed success against MI New York, leading the head-to-head 4-1 from five matches. In contrast, MI New York hold a positive 3-2 record against Seattle Orcas, having won three of their five meetings.

The franchise's strongest matchup has been against Los Angeles Knight Riders. MI New York have won all four contests between the teams and remain unbeaten with a perfect 4-0 record.

Historically, Los Angeles Knight Riders represent MI New York's clearest dominance, while Texas Super Kings have caused them the most problems. Despite those mixed long-term numbers, MI New York enter 2026 as defending champions and will back themselves to improve several of these records.

Opponent	Played	MI New York Wins	Opp Wins	Record
Washington Freedom	7	3	4	3-4
Texas Super Kings	7	2	5	2-5
San Francisco Unicorns	5	1	4	1-4
Seattle Orcas	5	3	2	3-2
Los Angeles Knight Riders	4	4	0	4-0

H2H Callouts: MI New York dominated Los Angeles Knight Riders (4-0) and have struggled against Texas Super Kings (2-5). MI New York's most-played rival is Washington Freedom (7 matches).

MI New York Squad Preview

MI New York possess one of the deepest squads in MLC 2026, combining proven international stars with a growing USA-qualified core. Nicholas Pooran captains the side, while Monank Patel is expected to serve as vice-captain. The wicketkeeping duties can be shared between Monank, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton.

Likely first-choice XI (batting order)

1. Ryan Rickelton (wk) 2. Monank Patel 3. Nicholas Pooran (c) 4. Agni Chopra 5. Kieron Pollard 6. Tajinder Singh 7. Romario Shepherd 8. AM Ghazanfar 9. Trent Boult 10. Nosthush Kenjige 11. Rushil Ugarkar

Category	Players
Captain	Nicholas Pooran
Vice-captain	Monank Patel
Wicketkeeper	Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Monank Patel, Nicholas Pooran
Head coach	Mark Boucher
Top-order batters	Agni Chopra, Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton
Middle-order / finishers	Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Corey Anderson
All-rounders	Romario Shepherd, Corbin Bosch, Tajinder Singh
Pace bowlers	Trent Boult, Rushil Ugarkar, Tristan Luus
Spin bowlers	AM Ghazanfar, Nosthush Kenjige
Overseas signings	Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Romario Shepherd, AM Ghazanfar
Availability concerns	No major injury concerns have been reported ahead of MLC 2026, although overseas players such as Ryan Rickelton, Romario Shepherd, Corbin Bosch and AM Ghazanfar could face scheduling challenges due to international commitments during the season

MI New York at Grand Prairie Stadium

Grand Prairie Stadium has been MI New York's most frequently used venue in Major League Cricket and will once again play a central role in their 2026 campaign. The franchise has played 18 matches at the Dallas venue across the first three MLC seasons, winning 8 and losing 10 for a 44% win rate.

MI New York have scored an average of 164.2 runs per innings at the ground while conceding 169.8, highlighting the high-scoring nature of contests at the venue.

The ground will host eight league-stage matches involving MI New York as well as all four playoff fixtures in 2026, making familiarity with conditions a major advantage.

Historically, MI New York have enjoyed slightly better results when batting first, winning three of six matches for a 50% success rate. When chasing, they have won five of twelve games, resulting in a 42% win rate. Improving that chasing record could be key to another deep playoff run.

#	Date	Opponent	H2H Record
5	20 Jun	Washington Freedom	3-4
7	21 Jun	Texas Super Kings	2-5
23	8 Jul	San Francisco Unicorns	1-4
25	10 Jul	Seattle Orcas	3-2
29	12 Jul	Washington Freedom	3-4

Category	Opponent(s)	Reasoning
Most winnable game	Seattle Orcas	H2H 3-2
Toughest test	San Francisco Unicorns	H2H 1-4
Projected wins at Grand Prairie Stadium	2 out of 5 matches	44% win percentage; not good records at many grounds

MI New York at Oakland Coliseum

Oakland Coliseum returns for its second season as an MLC venue and will host eight league-stage matches during the 2026 tournament. MI New York have played only three matches at the venue so far, winning one and losing two. Despite the limited sample size, their batting numbers stand out, with the franchise averaging 189.0 runs per innings.

However, Oakland has also been challenging for bowlers. MI New York have conceded 191.0 runs per innings there, suggesting that matches at the venue often turn into high-scoring contests. Their only victory at Oakland came while chasing, giving them a 50% success rate in run chases compared to no wins from their lone attempt batting first.

With several power-hitters in their lineup, including Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd, MI New York will hope the batting-friendly conditions at Oakland Coliseum suit their aggressive style of play in 2026.

#	Date	Opponent	H2H Record
10	26 Jun	Texas Super Kings	2-5
12	27 Jun	Los Angeles Knight Riders	4-0

Category	Opponent(s)	Reasoning
Most winnable game	Los Angeles Knight Riders	H2H 4-0
Toughest test	Texas Super Kings	H2H 2-5
Projected wins at Oakland Coliseum	1 win from 2 matches	Wins 1 match in every 3 based on 33% historical rate

MI New York at Knight Riders Cricket Field

Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona, California, is one of the biggest unknowns heading into MLC 2026. The venue will make its tournament debut this season, meaning MI New York have no historical record, batting data or head-to-head trends to draw upon.

Unlike Grand Prairie Stadium and Oakland Coliseum, where teams have accumulated multiple seasons of data, every franchise will enter Knight Riders Cricket Field on equal footing. Conditions, scoring patterns and toss trends remain largely untested at the MLC level.

For MI New York, adaptability will therefore be crucial. Their squad contains a good mix of experienced internationals and USA-qualified players, giving them flexibility to respond quickly once the characteristics of the surface become clear. While there are no historical numbers to analyse, performances at this new venue could have a significant impact on the race for playoff qualification during the 2026 season.

#	Date	Opponent	H2H Record
17	2 Jul	Seattle Orcas	3-2
20	4 Jul	Los Angeles Knight Riders	4-0
22	5 Jul	San Francisco Unicorns	1-4

Category	Opponent(s)	Reasoning
Most winnable game	Los Angeles Knight Riders	MI New York hold a perfect 4-0 head-to-head record against LAKR, making this their most favourable matchup based on results from the first three MLC seasons.
Toughest test	San Francisco Unicorns	MI New York have won only 1 of 5 meetings against the Unicorns and trail the rivalry 1-4, their worst win percentage against any current MLC opponent.
Projected wins at Knight Riders Cricket Field	1–2 wins (from 3 matches)	There is no historical venue data as Knight Riders Cricket Field is new to MLC. Based on MI New York's overall championship pedigree and favourable H2H records against several opponents, a return of one or two wins from their three matches at the venue appears realistic.

MI New York New Signings

MI New York made six notable signings ahead of MLC 2026, adding depth across both the batting and bowling departments while refreshing their overseas core.

Domestic signings: Faisal Khan Ahmadzai (left-arm seamer, domestic cricket) adds another pace option to the squad, while Tristan Luus (fast bowler, South Africa-born USA recruit) strengthens the fast-bowling reserves with his pace and bounce.

Overseas signings: Ryan Rickelton (South Africa, wicketkeeper-batter) arrives after scoring over 900 T20 runs across formats in the last year at a strike rate above 145. Romario Shepherd (West Indies, seam-bowling all-rounder) brings elite finishing ability and scored at a strike rate above 180 in T20 cricket during 2025. Corbin Bosch (South Africa, pace-bowling all-rounder) adds lower-order hitting and seam depth, while AM Ghazanfar (Afghanistan, spinner) strengthens the spin attack as a wicket-taking middle-overs option.

Most impactful signing: Ryan Rickelton. The left-hander fills the opening-batter role and provides wicketkeeping cover, addressing MI New York's need for a consistent powerplay aggressor capable of setting the tone at the top of the order.

Player	Type	Role	Country / Previous Team	Key Stat / Justification
Ryan Rickelton	Overseas	Wicketkeeper-Opener	South Africa	Scored over 1,000 T20 runs across competitions since 2025 at a strike rate around 145+, strengthening the powerplay batting.
Romario Shepherd	Overseas	Batting All-rounder	West Indies	Produced 587 T20 runs at a strike rate above 190 and claimed 33 wickets in 2025, adding finishing power and death-over bowling.
Corbin Bosch	Overseas	Pace-bowling All-rounder	South Africa	Adds lower-order hitting and seam-bowling depth to complement MI New York's established pace attack.
AM Ghazanfar	Overseas	Off-Spin Bowler	Afghanistan	One of the most highly rated young spinners in world cricket, recruited to add wicket-taking threat in the middle overs.
Faisal Khan Ahmadzai	Domestic	Left-arm Seamer	USA pathway cricket	Adds a rare left-arm pace option and strengthens MI New York's domestic bowling depth.
Tristan Luus	Domestic	Fast Bowler	South Africa U-19 / USA recruit	Young quick capable of generating pace and bounce, providing long-term seam-bowling depth.

Key Players for MI New York to Succeed

MI New York's title defence will depend heavily on a small group of proven match-winners delivering in key moments throughout the tournament.

Category	Player	Key Stat / Context	Why They Matter
Key batter 1 (top-order)	Ryan Rickelton	Scored over 1,000 T20 runs across competitions since 2025 with a strike rate above 145.	Provides explosive starts and powerplay momentum.
Key batter 2 (middle / finisher)	Nicholas Pooran	One of the world's leading T20 batters, scoring heavily at a strike rate above 150 in recent seasons.	The primary middle-order match-winner and batting leader.
Key all-rounder	Romario Shepherd	Combined 500+ T20 runs at a strike rate above 180 with 30+ wickets during 2025.	Offers finishing power and death-over bowling.
Key pace bowler	Trent Boult	Continues to rank among the most effective powerplay wicket-takers in franchise cricket.	MI New York's lead strike bowler with the new ball.
Key spinner	AM Ghazanfar	Emerging Afghan spinner known for his wicket-taking ability in the middle overs.	Expected to provide control and breakthroughs after Rashid Khan's departure.
Overseas marquee	Kieron Pollard	MI New York legend and two-time MLC champion with vast T20 experience.	Brings leadership, finishing ability and a proven big-match temperament.

MI New York MLC 2026 — FAQs

When does MI New York's MLC 2026 campaign begin?
MI New York begin their MLC 2026 campaign on 20 June 2026 against Washington Freedom at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. The fixture is a rematch of one of the league's most competitive rivalries and will set the tone for MI New York's title challenge.

Who is MI New York's captain for MLC 2026?
MI New York will be captained by Nicholas Pooran, one of the world's leading T20 batters. Monank Patel is expected to serve as the vice-captain within the squad leadership group, while Ryan Rickelton and Monank Patel provide wicketkeeping options for MI New York during MLC 2026.

Who are the new signings for MI New York in MLC 2026?
MI New York's key new signings include Ryan Rickelton, Romario Shepherd, Corbin Bosch, and AM Ghazanfar. Among them, Rickelton could be the most impactful addition as he fills MI New York's need for a top-order overseas anchor capable of providing aggressive powerplay starts.

What is MI New York's overall MLC record?
Across the first three seasons of Major League Cricket (2023–2025), MI New York have won 13 of their 28 matches, giving them a 46% win rate. Despite that record, MI New York have won two MLC titles (2023 and 2025).

Who are the key players for MI New York in MLC 2026?
The success of MI New York in MLC 2026 will largely depend on Nicholas Pooran, Ryan Rickelton, Romario Shepherd, and Trent Boult. Pooran leads the batting unit, Rickelton strengthens the top order, Shepherd provides all-round value, and Boult spearheads the pace attack. If these players perform consistently, MI New York will be strong contenders to reach the MLC 2026 Final on 18 July 2026 and challenge for another championship.