Amila Aponso

San Francisco Unicorns Select Amila Aponso in 2023 Major League Cricket Domestic Wildcard Draft

May 8 2024
  • Aponso, a left-arm spin bowler, was selected third overall in the Major League Cricket (MLC) domestic draft, held Monday, July 3.
  • The 30-year-old will join T20 World Cup champion Aaron Finch and superstars Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Lungi Ngidi, and Liam Plunkett on the Unicorns’ roster. 
  • The Unicorns are one of six teams competing in MLC’s inaugural season this July, featuring world-class players in a historic competition, playing the fast-paced T20 cricket format.

The San Francisco Unicorns have selected Amila Aponso as their tenth domestic-based player, solidifying their roster during the highly anticipated MLC Domestic Wildcard Draft held on Monday, July 3.

The former Sri Lankan international was selected third overall in the draft. He most recently played for the Atlanta Fire in the 2021 and 2022 Minor League Cricket (MiLC) seasons. In Atlanta, the left-arm spin bowler took 39 wickets in 29 matches. 

Aponso joins a superstar-laden Unicorns roster, including  Australia’s World Cup winning-captain Aaron Finch, his highly accomplished Australia teammate Marcus Stoinis, and England’s 2019 Cricket World Cup champion Liam Plunkett.

“We are thrilled to welcome Amila Aponso to the Unicorns,” said San Francisco Unicorns co-owner Anand Rajaraman. “His exceptional talent and unwavering dedication make him an invaluable addition to our roster. We believe his presence will elevate our team’s performance and bring us closer to a championship.” 

“We cannot wait to witness Amila’s remarkable skills on the field and see the positive impact he will have on our team’s success,” added San Francisco co-owner Venky Harinarayan.

The Unicorns are coached by legendary three-time 50-over Cricket World Cup winner and two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) Player of the Season Shane Watson. They are joined by five other teams from major U.S. metropolitan areas – representing Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Seattle, and New York City in Major League Cricket’s historic inaugural season, set to begin on July 13, 2023, at the league’s newly-constructed venue, Grand Prairie Stadium, in Grand Prairie, TX. 

The Unicorns play their first three matches at Grand Prairie Stadium starting on July 14 before traveling to Church Street Park in Morrisville, NC, for the final two games before the playoffs. 

Tickets for the San Francisco Unicorns and all MLC matches are available for purchase now at tickets.majorleaguecricket.com.