San Francisco Unicorns Announces Retained International Players for 2025 MLC Season

• Four key internationals return to established Unicorns roster for Major League Cricket’s third season
• Haris Rauf, Finn Allen, Matthew Short, and Jake Fraser-McGurk retained by San Francisco franchise

San Francisco Unicorns has announced its international player retentions for the 2025 season, with four players returning to the team’s settled roster as the Bay Area’s Major League Cricket T20 franchise seeks its first championship.

Experienced Pakistani pace bowler Haris Rauf returns to lead the bowling attack after being an ever-present for the Unicorns in 2024, while New Zealand international power hitter Finn Allen has re-signed, having been the team’s top run scorer last year.

Joining Rauf and Allen will be Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, both of whom have risen to international prominence with Australia after debut seasons for the Unicorns.

Short’s ability at the top of the batting order and with ball in hand will be key to the team’s balance once again, having contributed with an average of 34 and four wickets in 2024. Fraser-McGurk rejoins the squad having made his international T20 debut immediately after last year’s final, while also making his maiden T20I half-century against England soon after.

Shane Watson, coaching the team for a third consecutive season, has looked to build on a promising performance last time out by bringing back in proven international experience and youthful talent, to add to the group’s already-announced domestic players, which include captain and former New Zealand international Corey Anderson, and 2024 breakout stars Hassan Khan and Sanjay Krishnamurthy.

Following his debut season last year, Australia captain Pat Cummins is unavailable to re-sign for the Unicorns in 2025 due to international commitments and workload management, with the fast bowler having expressed his excitement to play in future Major League Cricket seasons, as his international schedule permits. With a demanding global cricketing calendar, retention priorities have been focused on those who will be rested and available for this year’s competition.

Shane Watson, Head Coach of the San Francisco Unicorns, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve brought in not only established international talent in Haris [Rauf], Finn [Allen], Jake [Fraser-McGurk], and Shorty [Matthew Short], but a group of players who have bought into the Unicorns expectations and ambitions previously.

“The potent combination of Haris’ pace with the new ball, Matt’s all-round capabilities and leadership, and Jake and Finn’s destructive batting at the top of the order, will be a force to be reckoned with, and playing alongside a strong caliber of domestic player, we’re confident we can be in the mix for MLC glory once again in 2025.

San Francisco Unicorns, which reached the Championship Match of the 2024 season, will kick off its MLC 2025 campaign in June, with the retained domestic and international players set to join several new signings.