India great Ashwin joining San Francisco T20 franchise

San Francisco, United States, 29 March - Legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will become the first Indian international to ply his trade in Major League Cricket after signing a deal with the San Francisco Unicorns, the club said Saturday.

The 39-year-old right arm off-spinner, who retired from international cricket in 2024, will head to the United States after an agreement to join Australia's Big Bash League fell through due to a knee injury.

"(Major League Cricket) has proven over recent seasons that it can put on a show, bringing in world-class players and offering significant exposure to US domestic cricket talent, and the opportunity to be a part of it with the San Francisco Unicorns was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Ashwin said in a statement released by the club.

"Taking on the mantle as the first Indian-capped player to compete in Major League Cricket is a major responsibility that I fully embrace," he added. "My absolute focus is to help this franchise win games and push for its first Championship."

Major League Cricket is a T20-format featuring six teams who play in a condensed month-long tournament. San Francisco's season gets under way on June 19 with a clash against the LA Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium near Dallas, Texas.

Ashwin amassed some 765 wickets across 287 appearances for India in Test, one-day, and T20 cricket during his career, and was a member of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup.BSS