Once rubbed shoulders with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul; THIS player is now setting MLC ablaze

The inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) is currently being played in the United States, where six new teams are competiting for the ultimate glory. Each team is slated to five matches before the start of the playoffs on July 28. All the matches are being played across two stadiums in North Carolina and Texas. There are many players in the tournament who are either of Indian origin or have moved to the US to pursue cricketing career. Among them, left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar stands out as one of the most impressive talents.

3 things you need to know

• Netravalkar has represented India at 2010 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand
• He has played junior-level cricket alongside Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Mayank Agarwal
• Netravalkar played for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy before moving to the US

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Saurabh Netravalkar sets MLC ablaze

During a crucial match against the San Francisco Unicorns in Morrisville, North Carolina, Saurabh Netravalkar wreaked havoc with the ball. Defending a modest total of 133, Washington Freedom got off to an excellent start with Anrich Nortje dismissing dangerous batsman Finn Allen. It was then that Netravalkar took charge, claiming the wickets of two key batters, Marcus Stoinis and Shadab Khan, in quick succession, causing a major setback to the Aaron Finch-led side.

Netravalkar's impressive display continued as he dismissed the Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and later cleaned up the tail, taking the wickets of Haris Rauf, Liam Plunkett, and Chaitanya Bishnoi. His exceptional figures of 6/9 in just 3.5 overs played a crucial role in helping Washington Freedom secure their third win of the tournament and secure a spot in the MLC 2023 playoffs.

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Netravalkar's journey in Indian cricket

Saurabh Netravalkar was part of India's U-19 squad at the 2010 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand. In the tournament, his teammates were KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, who later went on to represent India at the senior-level. Netravalkar has also played junior-level cricket with former India captain Virat Kohli, who played the U-19 Cricket World Cup in 2008. Netravalkar played Ranji Trophy cricket for Mumbai 

After no receiving enough opportunities to play in India, Netravalkar made a courageous move to the United States. He made his international debut for the side in 2019. 

Image: ICC