Overview
- The San Francisco Unicorns announced the deal Saturday, confirming Ashwin as the first India-capped cricketer set to play in Major League Cricket in 2026.
- Ashwin will join a multinational squad that includes Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was retained this week alongside captain Matt Short and Finn Allen.
- The 39-year-old retired from international cricket in December 2024 and from the IPL after 2025, then missed a planned Big Bash League stint due to knee surgery with no new fitness timeline disclosed.
- Head coach Cameron White and team executives cast the move as a leadership boost on the field and a marketing lift for the franchise and the league.
- MLC is a month-long U.S. T20 competition launched in 2023, with the Unicorns opening June 19 against the LA Knight Riders near Dallas and the final slated for July 18 at Oakland Coliseum.