Chicago Kingsmen Explained

Chicago Kingsmen
League:Minor League Cricket
Conference:Central Division (Pacific Conference)
Colours: Dark Blue, and Burgundy.
Coach:Aamir Saddique
Captain:Fawad Alam
City:Chicago, Illinois
Owner:Kingsmen Global Sports Group[1]
Ground:Kingsmen Stadium
T Title:T20 kit
T Pattern La:_blueborder
T Pattern Ra:_blueborder
T Leftarm:00008B
T Body:FFFF00
T Rightarm:00008B
T Pants:00008B

The Chicago Kingsmen (formerly the Chicago Blasters) are an American professional Twenty20 franchise cricket team that compete in Minor League Cricket (MiLC). The team is based in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed in 2020 as part of 24 original teams to compete in Minor League Cricket.[2] The franchise was owned by Iftekhar Shareef until the team's acquisition by Fawad Sarwar of the Kingsmen Global Sports Group. The franchise is currently run by Salman Abbasi and Mohammad Iqra Farooqui,[3] with Khurram Syed also associated.[4]

The team's home ground is Kingsmen Stadium, located in Illinois. Pakistan international Fawad Alam helms captaincy duties, while former Pakistani cricketer Saad Ali stands by as vice-captain.[5]

Franchise history

Background

Talks of an American Twenty20 league started in November 2018 just before USA Cricket became the new governing body of cricket in the United States.[6] [7] In May 2021, USA Cricket announced they had accepted a bid by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) for a US$1 billion investment covering the league and other investments benefitting the U.S. national teams.[8]

In an Annual General Meeting on February 21, 2020, it was announced that USA Cricket was planning to launch Major League Cricket in 2021 and Minor League Cricket that summer,[9] but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[10] and due to the lack of high-quality cricket stadiums in the USA.[11] Major League Cricket was pushed to a summer-2023 launch[12] and Minor League Cricket was pushed back to July 31, 2021.[13]

USA Cricket CEO Iain Higgins also pointed out cities such as New York City, Houston and Los Angeles with a large cricket fanbase, and targeted them among others as launch cities for Minor League Cricket.[14]

Exhibition league

In July 2020, the player registration for the Minor League Cricket exhibition league began.[15] On August 15, 2020, USA Cricket announced the teams participating in the exhibition league matches, also listing the owners for each team.[16] The draft for the exhibition league began on August 22, 2020,[17] with the Chicago Blasters releasing their squad on September 12.[18] Ibrahim Khaleel was later named as captain for the Blasters, with Fahad Babar down for vice-captaincy duties for the exhibition league.[19] [20]

2021 season

After the conclusion of the exhibition league, USA Cricket announced that they were planning to launch the inaugural season of Minor League Cricket in spring 2021.[21] Ahead of the official season, which was announced to kick off on July 31,[22] the Blasters announced Fahad Babar as captain with Abul Hasan helming vice-captain duties.

Throughout the group stage, the Blasters won against the Athletics once, the Catchers twice, and the Americans once.[23] [24] However, the Blasters lost once against the Strikers, the Grizzlies and the Americans, while losing twice to the Mustangs, the Hurricanes, and the Stars.[25] [26] The Blasters finished 6th in their group, thus not advancing to the play-offs.

2022 season

Ahead of the 2022 season, Major League Cricket announced that the draft for that season would take place on May 12.[27] Ahead of the official season, it was announced that the captaincy role would be shifted from Khaleel to local Blasters cricketer Ashhar Medhi, with Babar once again given vice-captaincy duties.[28]

Throughout the season, the Blasters lost to the Tigers, Hurricanes, and the Stars twice, and lost to the Blazers, the Blasters, the Grizzlies, the Mustangs, and the Americans once.[29] [30] The Blasters finished last in their group, despite three of their games being washed out.[31]

Current squad

NameNationalityBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleYear signedNotes
Batsmen
Awais Zia 1 September 1986Left-handed 2022 Overseas
Homayoon Ahmadzai 18 July 1993Right-handed Right-arm off break2021
Shreyas Ramesh 12 November 1988Right-handed Right-arm medium2022
Jay Patel 30 January 1996Right-handed Right-arm medium fast2022
Najam Iqbal 10 August 1988Left-handed Right-arm off break2021
All-rounders
Abul Hasan 5 August 1992Left-handed 2021 Overseas
Mohit Patel 29 May 2003Right-handed 2022
Abdullah Quadri 15 July 2000Right-handed 2022
Pankaj Kampli 22 June 1983Right-handed 2021
Chiranjeevi Akunuri 16 June 1993Right-handed 2022
Fahad Babar 19 February 1992Right-handed 2021 Vice-captain
Ankush Agrawal 21 February 1990Right-handed 2022
Datta Prakash Y 27 February 1992Left-handed 2021
Abir Chippa 11 August 1987Right-handed 2022
Arjun Reddy 26 April 2004Right-handed 2022
Bowlers
15 May 1987Right-handed 2022
27 January 1990Left-handed 2022
11 December 1994Right-handed 2022
Kevin Philip 1 February 2006Right-handed 2022
Sai Daggupati 21 May 1995Right-handed 2022
Wicket-keepers
Aayush Thakkar 17 July 2004Right-handed 2022
Shaheer Hassan 23 February 1994Right-handed 2021
Ashhar Mehdi 13 September 1975Right-handed 2021 Captain

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New world-class cricket stadium and training facility to be built in Chicago . Serena . Thynne . . March 31, 2023 . August 5, 2023.
  2. Web site: Minor League Cricket Announces Franchise Owners and Draft Owners . . 15 August 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  3. Web site: Cricket in Chicago? New Illinois stadium announced . Benedict . Evans . Stadia Magazine . June 12, 2023 . August 5, 2023.
  4. Web site: Minor League Cricket announces teams and owners list, draft on August 22, exhibition games tentative . Nate . Hays . Emerging Cricket . 18 August 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  5. Web site: Pre-Draft Selections Confirmed by 21 Minor League Cricket Teams as Draft Day Looms . . . 4 June 2021 . 23 May 2022.
  6. Web site: USA formally approved to rejoin ICC as Associate Member under USA Cricket . Peter Della . Penna . . 8 January 2019 . 23 May 2022.
  7. Web site: USA plan to launch their T20 League in 2021 . Peter Della . Penna . 27 November 2018 . . 23 May 2022.
  8. Web site: USA Cricket Chooses Partner to Fund and Develop U.S.-Based Professional T20 Cricket League . . 23 May 2019 . 23 May 2022.
  9. Web site: USA Cricket Board Meeting February 2020 . . 27 February 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  10. Web site: USA Cricket re-evaluating Major League Cricket debut timing due to Covid-19 concerns . SportBusiness . 2 August 2021 . 23 May 2022.
  11. Web site: American Major League Cricket tournament launch pushed to 2023 at Annual General Meeting . . 24 May 2021 . 23 May 2022.
  12. Web site: USA's MLC T20 tournament pushed back to 2023 at AGM . Peter Della . Penna . 21 May 2021 . . 23 May 2022.
  13. Web site: Minor League Cricket: T20 league in USA kicks off with Sami Aslam, Corey Anderson in the mix . Peter Della . Penna . 30 July 2021 . . 23 May 2022.
  14. Web site: New York, Boston, Chicago, LA among 22 targeted launch cities for USA T20 competition . Peter Della . Penna . 27 February 2020 . . 23 May 2022.
  15. Web site: Minor League Cricket Announces Player Registration Opening . . 7 July 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  16. Web site: Minor League Cricket Announces Franchise Owners and Draft Update . . 15 August 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  17. Web site: Inaugural Minor League Cricket Draft to Take Place Today . . 22 August 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  18. Web site: Four More Minor League Teams Complete Squad Selections . . 12 September 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  19. Web site: Four new Minor League teams set for exhibition debuts . Nate . Hays . 19 September 2020 . Emerging Cricket . 23 May 2022.
  20. Web site: Lockdown diaries: What's keeping USA's Indian players going? . Shayan . Acharya . 6 April 2020 . . 23 May 2022.
  21. Web site: USA Cricket Launches Foundational Plan . . 15 October 2020 . 23 May 2022.
  22. Web site: American Cricket History to be Made on Minor League Cricket Opening Weekend . . 29 July 2021 . . 23 May 2022.
  23. Web site: Chicago Blasters defend title against Chicago Catchers . Suresh . Bodiwala . 17 September 2021 . . 23 May 2022.
  24. Web site: St. Louis Americans are part of new U.S. cricket league . Joe . Lyons . 23 August 2021 . . 23 May 2022.
  25. Web site: Cricket adapts to changing post-pandemic landscape . Jon . Pike . 19 May 2022 . . 23 May 2022.
  26. Web site: What is Major League Cricket? Why are Indian cricketers retiring early to play in MLC? . Sahil . Bakshi . . 14 August 2021 . 23 May 2022.
  27. Web site: Title and Presenting Partners Announced for 2022 Minor League Cricket Championship . . . 5 May 2022 . 23 May 2022.
  28. Web site: Illinois player Fahad Babar at the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 . 30 May 2022 . . 30 November 2022.
  29. Web site: Dallas Mustangs and Silicon Valley Strikers surge ahead . Smit . Patel . . 26 July 2022 . 30 November 2022.
  30. Web site: Chicago Blasters cricket team clinch spectacular win against the Michigan Stars . 2 October 2020 . Suresh . Bodiwala . . 30 November 2022.
  31. Web site: Minor League T20 Week 7: Teams tantalizingly poised for final round of league stage . Smit . Patel . 10 August 2022 . 30 November 2022.