The Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) are eyeing a fresh start in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, hoping to finally break their playoffs jinx after two disappointing seasons. Despite boasting the global appeal of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, LAKR have remained the only side yet to make a postseason appearance since the tournament’s inception.
📉 Past Performance: A Tale of Missed Opportunities
In their debut season, LAKR finished last. Their second season saw marginal improvement, but not enough to secure a top-four finish. Captain Sunil Narine continued to impress with the ball, maintaining a miserly economy rate of 6.2, but his batting returns (27 runs in 6 innings) at the top order severely dented the team’s scoring prospects.
Andre Russell, meanwhile, was deployed lower down the order, often walking in too late to shift games. His 80 deliveries faced across six innings highlighted his underutilization. The batting unit, overall, failed to fire—no LAKR batter made it into the top 10 run-getters of the season. The lone bright spot was Unmukt Chand, who managed two gritty half-centuries and showed flashes of resilience.
🌍 International Reinforcements: Caribbean Core Reloaded
LAKR have reshaped their international core with a heavy West Indian influence. Joining Narine and Russell are:
- Jason Holder – all-round stability and leadership experience
- Rovman Powell – power-hitting middle-order option
- Sherfane Rutherford – MLC debut, known for aggressive stroke play
- Andre Fletcher – attacking top-order batter
They are joined by England’s Alex Hales, who adds explosiveness at the top, and Anrich Nortje, the South African speedster, who replaces LAKR’s top 2024 wicket-taker, Spencer Johnson. Tanveer Sangha, snapped from Washington Freedom, is expected to lead the spin attack.
🇺🇸 Domestic Core: Unchanged but Under Pressure
Unlike their international roster, LAKR’s domestic core remains mostly unchanged. Their major 2024 domestic draft pick, Adithya Ganesh, was curiously absent from the playing XI all season. Unmukt Chand, Nitish Kumar, and Saif Badar make up the middle order, with Kumar under pressure after two underwhelming seasons.
Bowling responsibilities will be shared by USA pacers Ali Khan, Shadley van Schalkwyk, and Corne Dry, who bring domestic experience and aggression to the attack.
👤 Leadership and Coaching
- Captain: Sunil Narine
- Coach: Phil Simmons
With an improved squad, LAKR’s management will hope that Simmons can unlock the full potential of a team brimming with explosive talent and finally take them beyond the group stage.
🏏 Probable XI
Alex Hales, Unmukt Chand, Nitish Kumar, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Saif Badar, Sunil Narine (C), Corne Dry, Ali Khan, Anrich Nortje, Tanveer Sangha
🔍 Key Questions for 2025
- Can LAKR’s Caribbean-heavy squad find the right balance and chemistry?
- Will Sunil Narine deliver with both bat and ball this season?
- Can Unmukt Chand anchor the innings consistently and make a national comeback statement?
📢 Final Word:
The LA Knight Riders head into MLC 2025 as a team with untapped firepower, ambitious to change their playoff-less legacy. With high-octane talent from the Caribbean and a bolstered bowling attack, this might just be the year they finally rise to the occasion.
