MLC 2025: San Francisco Unicorns unveil star-studded investors ahead of third season
Logo of the San Francisco Unicorns, who play in USA's Major League Cricket (MLC).
The San Francisco Unicorns are stepping into the 2025 season of Major League Cricket (MLC) with a major boost. The franchise have announced a marquee list of new investors, including some of the biggest names from Silicon Valley and Hollywood, underscoring the growing momentum behind cricket's rise in the United States.
Among the prominent figures joining the Unicorns' investor group are Shantanu Narayen (Chairman and CEO, Adobe), Neal Mohan (CEO, YouTube), Divesh Makan (Founder and CEO, ICONIQ Capital), and actor
Kunal Nayyar
of
The Big Bang Theory
fame. The group also includes influential tech leaders such as Aditya Agarwal (former CTO, Dropbox), Neeraj Arora (former Chief Business Officer, WhatsApp), and Amit Singhal (former SVP of Search at Google), alongside institutional investors like UC Investments (University of California).
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The Unicorns' principal owners and managing partners, Anand Rajaraman and
Venky Harinarayan
, have deep roots in the Bay Area tech ecosystem. With prior entrepreneurial success at Junglee (acquired by Amazon) and Kosmix (acquired by Walmart), the duo are leveraging their network to build a franchise that merges the global passion for cricket with the innovation-centric culture of Silicon Valley.
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MLC: Venky Harinarayan on growing cricket in the USA, AI-driven teams and the Olympic boost
'This world-class group of investors brings deep strategic expertise and a shared vision for growing the game of cricket in the Bay Area and across the United States,' said Rajaraman. 'With their support, we're building a team that reflects the global spirit of the sport and the innovation-driven culture of the Bay Area.'
Kunal Nayyar, who joins as a passionate lifelong cricket fan, echoed the sentiment: 'Growing up in New Delhi, cricket has always been close to my heart.
It's a game that unites people across cultures and continents. I'm proud to support the San Francisco Unicorns as they help bring world-class cricket to the US and inspire a new generation of fans.'
Fixtures of the San Francisco Unicorns in MLC 2025.
The Unicorns, who reached the MLC final last season, play their home matches at the historic Oakland Coliseum. The team will open their 2025 campaign on June 12, aiming to build on its early success with an exciting mix of international stars and homegrown talent.
Coached by former Australian all-rounder
Shane Watson
, the Unicorns' squad features a mix of seasoned global players and rising prospects. Key names include Australian trio Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Cooper Connolly; New Zealand's Finn Allen; England's Liam Plunkett; USA's Corey Anderson; West Indies' Romario Shepherd; and local Bay Area cricketer Sanjay Krishnamurthi.
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