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Major League Cricket: Could the USA be the future of the sport?

Reuters England cricketer Harry Brook stands with his back to the camera, bat over his shoulder, awaiting a bowl. He's wearing a cricket helmet, cricket whites and padded cricket gloves. The bat is a standard design with a Gray-Nicolls logo down the middle, and two chequerboard stripes around the top. There's also a square sticker at the end of the bat, displaying the MLB (Major League Baseball) logo. It's got the letters MLB in blue block capitals along the bottom half. The top half has the white silhouette of a baseball player, his bat cocked as a ball approaches.Reuters
Oh say can you six? England cricketer Harry Brook recently teased his Major League Baseball appearance - but even more players have their eye on the USA's new cricket league

Cricket isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the USA. But could that be changing?

A new franchise T20 tournament - Major League Cricket - began on Thursday in front of 7,000 raucous fans at a redeveloped baseball ground in Texas.

It includes six teams from major U.S. cities and involves some superstars of the sport.

And it's got players outside the US excited, as BBC Asian Network found out.

But it makes sense to start Stateside, and with 24-year-old Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan.

He's played in T20 tournaments around the world, and says he's "very excited" to represent the San Francisco Unicorns.

"This is my first time in the USA," he says, adding that "every team taking part has their big names".

They include England's Jason Roy, who gave up his incremental England white-ball contract to play.

Shadab adds: "The sports market in the US is so big.

"We want to show them it's similar to baseball and try to encourage the fans to get in the crowd. When they come they'll love it.

"When you know you're good enough, you want the opportunity to come with it."

Getty Images Shadab Khan against a white studio background. He's got short hair and a trimmed but thick-looking dark beard. He's smiling and wearing a purple t-shirt with a Nike "swoosh" logo over the upper chest. Below that on the camera left is an embroidered Cadbury logo - in cursive writing and white text. On the right is the Hobart Hurricanes' team logo - the word Hurricanes in angular white text over a grey, precisely-drawn shaped made up of curved rectangles that decrease in size from top to bottom to create the effect of a hurricane or funnel cloud.Getty Images
Shadab, pictured in former team Hobart Hurricanes' colours, is among high-profile names playing in the US

But it's not just superstars taking part. There's also a pathway for young players called Minor League Cricket.

And that's becoming more appealing to players around the world.

Mohammed, 25, plays for Slough Cricket Club and the South Asian Cricket Academy.

"I actually have a mate, Jai. He's left his job and everything and has gone to America now playing in the minor league," he tells BBC Asian Network.

"He was playing club cricket here and obviously saw opportunities out there and left quite early."

Mohammed wants to follow his mate's footsteps and explore the opportunities in the US.

"I'm looking to potentially go in the winter and spend some time there," he says.

"I think countries like the US are great because, I guess, if you're good enough, you kind of get into the squad straight away.

"Whereas, in other countries, it's a longer process having to prove yourself."

When asked if he thinks the tournament will be a long-term success, he responds: "I think it's going to be massive - knowing the Americans, they love to go pretty big on things. So if they invest, I'm sure it will do well."

Mohammed Mohammed is pictured in mid-bowl just after releasing the ball. He's wearing a red top with black long sleeves and logos on the chest. His left arm is raised high above his head and his other arm is down low for balance. He looks as if he's exerting himself and concentrating hard. We can tell he's in some sort of sports stadium as the shapes of rows of blue folding seats are visible in the backgroundMohammed
Mohammed is thinking about heading to the US after one of his friends did the same

One person hoping the tournament will be a success is Sanjay Govil - owner of Washington Freedom.

It's one of only two franchises that isn't run by teams from the Indian Premier League (IPL) - the most lucrative cricket league in the world.

He says growing up in India - where "cricket is religion" - was behind his decision to buy.

"I have passion about the potential of cricket in America and I believe in bringing the world together. Cricket is a great way of doing that," he says.

But before he unites the world his first job is helping to get the United States behind his favourite sport. Does he think he can?

"You know, it may not be like the NFL or the NBA, but I think we have a place for ourselves.

"We also want to make the American side one of the premier teams who qualify for tournaments. And be a contender in the Olympics, if it happens in 2028."

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