Minor League Cricket is a developmental cricket league tournament of the United States of America. It is played in the T20 format and was first contested in 2021. The tournament was conceived by American Cricket Enterprises in conjunction with USA Cricket.
The tournament follows a double round-robin followed by playoffs format. A total of 26 teams take part in the competition. The teams are divided into two conferences, each of which are further divided into two divisions. The Atlantic Conference is divided into Northern and Southern divisions whereas the Pacific Conference is divided into Eastern and Central divisions.
Teams in each division play each other in a double round-robin format. A win is worth two points and a tie or a no result means each team gets one point each. No points are deducted for a loss. At the end of the league stage, the teams that topped their respective divisions automatically qualify for the Super Eights. The second and the third placed teams in each division play each other to determine the remaining four spots.
Teams are divided into two groups based on the conference they belong to in the Super Eight stage. They play each other in a single round-robin format. The table toppers of both groups qualify for the final.
The total prize pool of Minor League Cricket is over $350,000. Nearly 40% of this amount is won by the champion side. As of 2024, Andries Gous is the leading run-scorer whereas Phani Simhadri is the leading wicket-taker. Following its first three editions, no team has managed to win the tournament twice. Silicon Valley Strikers, Seattle Thunderbolts, and Dallas Mustangs have won the title once each.
