MLC 2025: Seattle Orcas history, top performers, schedule, squad

MLC 2025: The Seattle Orcas were introduced as one of six teams that were part of the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC) season in 2023. The team is co-owned by the GMR Group - the same organisation that co-owns the Delhi Capitals franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Their history in the competition has been extremely contrasting in terms of results. While the Seattle Orcas are yet to win the competition, they topped the charts in the league standings in 2023.

Team Performance in 2023

In the inaugural season of Major League Cricket, the Seattle Orcas showcased exceptional resilience and desire to win from the start. After rightfully topping the league standings and advancing to the playoffs. However, their brilliant season came to a heartbreaking end in the final.

They fell short in the summit clash against MI New York, who secured victory by seven wickets. Despite the loss, the Orcas' journey to the final highlighted their competitive edge and promise in the league's debut season.

Team Performance in 2024

The 2024 season was in complete contrast to 2023 for the Seattle Orcas. Under the leadership of Heinrich Klaasen, the team struggled significantly, finishing at the bottom of the standings with only one win in seven league matches.

This dramatic decline came as a surprise to many after they topped the charts in the first season and even reached the final. The Orcas started off the season with a loss to MI New York in a rematch of the 2023 final. The only win of the season came in their second outing of the season against LA Knight Riders.

What followed was five consecutive defeats to end the season at the bottom of the table.

Standout Performers

2023 SeasonQuinton de Kock: The South African wicketkeeper-batter topped the scoring charts for his team, amassing 264 runs across seven matches, including a high score of 88*.

With an average of 44 and an impressive strike rate of 151.72, he was the second-highest in runs in the inaugural edition.

Cameron Gannon: The Australian pacer was the team's leading wicket-taker, claiming 11 wickets in seven matches with a best bowling performance of 4/23. He finished the 2023 season only behind Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians, who had a whopping 22 wickets to his name.

2024 Season

Ryan Rickelton : Despite the disastrous season where they finished last, Ryan Rickelton managed to top the charts for his team in terms of runs scored.

With 225 runs from 6 matches, boasting a strike rate of 148.03 and a high score of 103*, the South African finished the season in 6th spot among the highest run-scorers.

Cameron Gannon: The Australian once again impressed for his side in what proved to be a regrettable campaign. His 11 wickets from 7 games remain the best for his team and the third best overall in the 2024 season. His best spell stood at 3/26 against the San Francisco Unicorns.

Squad in 2025

Players: Aaron Jones, David Warner (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Steven Taylor, Ali Sheikh, Gulbadin Naib, Harmeet Singh, Kyle Mayers, Sikandar Raza, Sujit Nayak, Heinrich Klassen, Rahul Jariwala, Shayan Jahangir, Ayan Desai, Cameron Gannon, Fazallhaq Farooqi, Jadeeep Singh, Obed McCoy, Waqar Salamkheil

Coach : The Seattle Orcas are coached by Matthew Mott. He also served as the assistant coach for Delhi Capitals in the 2025 IPL.Captain : The team's captain is David Warner

Seattle Orcas schedule

The 2025 MLC season is scheduled to commence on June 12 and conclude on July 13. The Seattle Orcas will be looking to redeem themselves after the challenging 2024 season and aim for a strong performance in the upcoming tournament.