The 2025 edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) ended on a thrilling note with MI New York clinching the title after a nail-biting five-run victory over Washington Freedom in the final. This win marked MI New York's second MLC championship, having previously secured the title in 2023. However, what made this victory even more special was the story of two key players—Nicholas Pooran, the newly appointed captain, and Mitchell Owen, the tournament’s breakout star.
Nicholas Pooran, who took over MI New York's captaincy this season, had recently retired from international cricket. His decision raised eyebrows at first, but he silenced all doubts by leading the team to the title. This triumph is Pooran’s third championship with the Mumbai Indians franchise globally, putting him just behind Rohit Sharma, who holds six IPL titles with MI. Pooran now joins an elite list that includes Harmanpreet Kaur, Rashid Khan, and Harbhajan Singh, each of whom has led MI teams to glory across different formats and leagues.
While Pooran shone as captain, the tournament’s Player of the Series was none other than Australia's Mitchell Owen. His turnaround has been nothing short of cinematic. Just months ago, Owen had played a forgettable IPL 2025 season for Punjab Kings, where he couldn’t even score a single run before being dropped after one match. But in the MLC, he transformed into a dominant force—scoring 313 runs and taking 14 wickets, becoming the most valuable player despite his team, Washington Freedom, falling short in the final.
Among other standout performers, Monak Patel, MI New York’s opener, topped the batting charts with 478 runs in the tournament. On the bowling front, Xavier Bartlett emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets, showcasing MI’s depth and dominance in both departments.
This win added another feather to the already illustrious cap of the Mumbai Indians franchise, which has now accumulated 13 global titles. The journey began with the Champions League T20 in 2011, followed by multiple IPL triumphs (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020), another Champions League in 2013, and further international league victories in MLC (2023, 2025), ILT20 (2024), SA20 (2025), and both editions of the Women’s Premier League (2020, 2025).
With this legacy, the MI brand continues to assert its dominance across global T20 leagues, powered by players who keep defying odds—just like Pooran and Owen did in this memorable season.
