T20 cricket writes its history in sixes and hundreds.
But sometimes a bowler steps onto a ground in North Carolina or Texas or Florida and does something the scorecard can barely contain.
MLC has seen ten such performances across three seasons.
Some came from celebrated internationals executing a plan perfectly.
Others came from domestic cricketers whom nobody outside American club cricket had heard of.
All of them belong in any serious record of what this league has produced.
Contents
- 1 Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC
- 1.1 What Makes a Bowling Figure Stand Out in MLC?
- 1.2 Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC — Full Ranked List
- 1.3 The Stories Behind the Spells
- 1.4 1. Saurabh Netravalkar — 6/9 | Washington vs San Francisco | Morrisville | 22 Jul 2023
- 1.5 2. Mitchell Owen — 5/17 | Washington vs San Francisco | Dallas | 28 Jun 2025
- 1.6 3. Wayne Parnell — 5/20 | Seattle vs Texas | Morrisville | 21 Jul 2023
- 1.7 4. Adam Milne — 5/23 | Texas vs Seattle | Lauderhill | 5 Jul 2025
- 1.8 5. Mohammad Mohsin — 4/8 | Texas vs Los Angeles | Dallas | 13 Jul 2023
- 1.9 6. Rachin Ravindra — 4/11 | Washington vs San Francisco | Dallas | 25 Jul 2024
- 1.10 7. Mohammad Mohsin — 4/13 | Texas vs San Francisco | Morrisville | 10 Jul 2024
- 1.11 8. Rachin Ravindra — 4/16 | Washington vs Texas | Dallas | 19 Jul 2024
- 1.12 9. Trent Boult — 4/17 | MI New York vs Los Angeles | Lauderhill | 3 Jul 2025
- 1.13 10. Ian Holland — 4/19 | Washington vs Seattle | Oakland | 14 Jun 2025
- 1.14 Team-Wise Breakdown
- 1.15 Season-Wise Distribution
- 1.16 Bowling Style Breakdown
- 1.17 The International vs Domestic Split
- 1.18 FAQs: Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC
- 1.19 Conclusion:
- 1.20 Stay Updated:
Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC
Here is the full ranked list of the best bowling figures in an innings in MLC, with the story behind every spell.
What Makes a Bowling Figure Stand Out in MLC?
MLC pitches are deliberately prepared to produce high scores. Flat, true, and fast — they suit power hitters and penalise bowlers who stray in line or length.
In that context, a four-wicket haul is a genuine feat. A five-for is a headline moment. The one six-wicket haul this league has seen is in a category of its own.
Three seasons in, only four bowlers have taken five or more wickets in a single MLC innings. Six more four-wicket performances complete the all-time top ten.
Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC — Full Ranked List
| Rank | Player | Ovrs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Team | Opposition | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SN Netravalkar | 3.5 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 2.34 | Washington | v SF | Morrisville | 22 Jul 2023 |
| 2 | MJ Owen | 3.0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 5.66 | Washington | v SF | Dallas | 28 Jun 2025 |
| 3 | WD Parnell | 4.0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 5.00 | Seattle | v Texas | Morrisville | 21 Jul 2023 |
| 4 | AF Milne | 3.4 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 6.27 | Texas | v Seattle | Lauderhill | 5 Jul 2025 |
| 5 | Mohammad Mohsin | 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2.66 | Texas | v Los Angeles | Dallas | 13 Jul 2023 |
| 6 | R Ravindra | 2.4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 4.12 | Washington | v SF | Dallas | 25 Jul 2024 |
| 7 | Mohammad Mohsin | 3.5 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 3.39 | Texas | v SF | Morrisville | 10 Jul 2024 |
| 8 | R Ravindra | 3.5 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 4.17 | Washington | v Texas | Dallas | 19 Jul 2024 |
| 9 | TA Boult | 4.0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 4.25 | MI New York | v Los Angeles | Lauderhill | 3 Jul 2025 |
| 10 | IG Holland | 4.0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 4.75 | Washington | v Seattle | Oakland | 14 Jun 2025 |
Five entries belong to Washington Freedom. Three to the Texas Super Kings. Seattle Orcas and MI New York hold one each.
Pace bowling accounts for eight of the ten spells; spin for two, both by Rachin Ravindra, both at Dallas.
The Stories Behind the Spells
1. Saurabh Netravalkar — 6/9 | Washington vs San Francisco | Morrisville | 22 Jul 2023
Who he is: A left-arm fast-medium bowler who represents the USA in international cricket and works full-time as a software engineer at Oracle. That dual identity is what most headlines about him focus on — but his cricket is what earns the attention.
What happened: In MLC’s fourth-ever match, Netravalkar took six wickets for nine runs in 3.5 overs. He dismissed Marcus Stoinis, Shadab Khan, and Matthew Wade — three recognised international batters — before returning to finish off the San Francisco tail. The Unicorns were bowled out for 103 chasing 134. The match ended as a contest well before the final over.
Why it matters: A 2.34 economy in a T20 game, with six wickets against a lineup full of internationals, has no precedent in MLC and few comparisons globally. Netravalkar became a wider name at the 2024 T20 World Cup when he defended 18 against Pakistan in the final over. Anyone who had watched his MLC spell was not surprised.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 2.34 | Washington won by 30 runs |
2. Mitchell Owen — 5/17 | Washington vs San Francisco | Dallas | 28 Jun 2025
Who he is: An aggressive top-order batter for Washington Freedom, and one of MLC 2025’s leading run-scorers. His bowling was considered a useful supplementary option at best.
What happened: San Francisco reached 97/2 before Owen took five wickets in three overs with pace variations and in-swing, collapsing the Unicorns to 157/9. Washington won by 12 runs and Owen was Player of the Match — for bat and ball combined.
Why it matters: No primarily batting player in MLC history had taken five wickets in an innings before Owen. His spell is a reminder that MLC’s player pool contains depth that formal designations do not capture.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 5.66 | Washington won by 12 runs |
3. Wayne Parnell — 5/20 | Seattle vs Texas | Morrisville | 21 Jul 2023
Who he is: A South African left-arm seamer with over 300 T20 appearances and a track record across multiple franchise competitions. He captained Seattle Orcas in MLC’s inaugural season.
What happened: Four days before Netravalkar broke the record, Parnell became the first bowler in MLC history to take five wickets in an innings. He swung the ball intelligently and used his full range of lengths to dismantle Texas Super Kings, who had no answer from the first over. Seattle won by eight wickets.
Why it matters: Parnell’s spell set the benchmark for what MLC bowling excellence looked like in the league’s very first season. It also confirmed that Seattle — not initially considered a title favourite — had the firepower to compete with anyone.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 5.00 | Seattle won by 8 wickets |
4. Adam Milne — 5/23 | Texas vs Seattle | Lauderhill | 5 Jul 2025
Who he is: A New Zealand right-arm fast bowler known for generating genuine pace — one of the quicker bowlers in international T20 cricket when fully fit and in form.
What happened: In Lauderhill, a ground offering minimal assistance to pace bowlers, Milne took five wickets for 23 runs with raw speed and bounce. Texas won by 51 runs. Milne finished the 2025 season with 14 wickets across five innings at an average of 8.5 — numbers that look more like a Test match return than T20.
Why it matters: Milne’s season-wide performance alongside this spell makes his MLC 2025 campaign one of the most individually dominant bowling seasons the league has seen.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 6.27 | Texas won by 51 runs |
5. Mohammad Mohsin — 4/8 | Texas vs Los Angeles | Dallas | 13 Jul 2023
Who he is: A domestic cricketer identified through the Dallas Premier League, born in Pakistan, now representing the USA. He was a wildcard selection for the Texas Super Kings’ inaugural MLC squad with no international profile.
What happened: Mohsin dismissed Sunil Narine, Adam Zampa, and Lockie Ferguson across three overs for eight runs. Three unambiguously recognised international cricketers, dismissed cheaply by a player most fans had never heard of. Texas won by 69 runs.
Why it matters: More than any other spell on this list, Mohsin’s 4/8 tells the story MLC was built to tell — that American domestic cricket has talent worth watching, and that the right platform can reveal it.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2.66 | Texas won by 69 runs |
6. Rachin Ravindra — 4/11 | Washington vs San Francisco | Dallas | 25 Jul 2024
Who he is: A New Zealand international known primarily for his batting at the top of the order. His left-arm spin is a secondary asset — effective but rarely treated as a primary threat.
What happened: In the MLC 2024 Qualifier, Ravindra took 4/11 to record his T20 career-best. He dismissed Sanjay Krishnamurthi early and sustained pressure across 2.4 overs that San Francisco’s chase never recovered from. Washington won by seven wickets.
Why it matters: Twelve wickets at 6.08 across the 2024 tournament make Ravindra’s bowling season statistically better than most specialist seamers in the competition. Doing it as a part-time spinner at a batters’ ground adds another layer.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 4.12 | Washington won by 7 wickets |
7. Mohammad Mohsin — 4/13 | Texas vs San Francisco | Morrisville | 10 Jul 2024
What happened: A season after his debut four-wicket haul, Mohsin delivered again — this time at Morrisville against San Francisco. He became the first bowler in MLC history to record multiple four-wicket performances, and did it with a 3.39 economy that showed clear development from his breakthrough campaign.
Why it matters: Repeating at a high level in any sport is harder than peaking once. Mohsin’s consistency across two MLC seasons confirmed he belongs at the top of this list as a performer, not a one-match wonder.
| Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 13 | 4 | 3.39 |
8. Rachin Ravindra — 4/16 | Washington vs Texas | Dallas | 19 Jul 2024
What happened: Ravindra’s second four-wicket haul of MLC 2024 came in the semi-final against Texas. Seven of his twelve tournament wickets arrived in the knockout rounds — a pattern consistent enough to suggest this was not luck. Washington won the final the following match.
Why it matters: Two four-wicket hauls in a single T20 tournament from a player listed as a batter is, at minimum, a tactical revelation. At most, it is one of the quietly extraordinary individual stories of the 2024 MLC season.
| Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 16 | 4 | 4.17 |
9. Trent Boult — 4/17 | MI New York vs Los Angeles | Lauderhill | 3 Jul 2025
Who he is: One of the best left-arm swing bowlers in T20 cricket over the past decade — a stalwart of the Mumbai Indians global franchise network and a consistent wicket-taker across IPL, international cricket, and now MLC.
What happened: Unmukt Chand went for a golden duck off delivery one. Andre Russell and Andre Fletcher followed before the powerplay was done. Boult returned to remove Sherfane Rutherford and complete a 4/17 that left LA Knight Riders all but beaten before the middle overs began. MI New York won by eight wickets.
Why it matters: Boult’s spell is on this list through craft, not conditions. Lauderhill does not naturally assist swing. His wickets were earned.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 4.25 | MI New York won by 8 wickets |
10. Ian Holland — 4/19 | Washington vs Seattle | Oakland | 14 Jun 2025
Who he is: A USA-based domestic seamer with no major international profile, playing for Washington Freedom in MLC 2025.
What happened: Seattle were 66/1 after six overs and building. Holland took two wickets in the 14th over, then returned to remove Cameron Gannon, restricting the Orcas to 145/9 from a position that had suggested 175-plus. Washington won by five wickets. Holland was Player of the Match.
Why it matters: Holland and Mohsin on the same list, both multiple times, is not a coincidence. It is a pattern. MLC’s domestic recruitment has unearthed bowling talent capable of performing at the highest level of American T20 cricket.
| Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 4.75 | Washington won by 5 wickets |
Team-Wise Breakdown
| Team | Entries in Top 10 | Best Spell |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Freedom | 5 | 6/9 — Netravalkar |
| Texas Super Kings | 3 | 5/23 — Milne |
| Seattle Orcas | 1 | 5/20 — Parnell |
| MI New York | 1 | 4/17 — Boult |
Season-Wise Distribution
| Season | Spells in Top 10 | Top Spell |
|---|---|---|
| MLC 2023 | 4 | 6/9 — Netravalkar |
| MLC 2024 | 3 | 4/11 — Ravindra |
| MLC 2025 | 3 | 5/17 — Owen |
Bowling Style Breakdown
Pace dominates with eight of the top ten spells.
MLC surfaces offer limited natural assistance to spin, so Ravindra’s two entries — both in Dallas, both in 2024 knockout matches — stand out as the exceptions that require the most explanation.
Both came from a batter operating as a part-time spinner in conditions that should have favoured the hitter.
Both worked because of skill, flight, and reading the game better than the opposition’s batting card.
The International vs Domestic Split
Six of the ten bowlers on this list are established international cricketers — Netravalkar (USA), Parnell (South Africa), Milne (New Zealand), Ravindra (New Zealand), Boult (New Zealand), Owen (likely Australia).
Four entries belong to domestic or emerging players: Mohsin (twice) and Holland.
That ratio reflects what MLC has been trying to build. Elite international names draw the crowds and set the standard.
Domestic talent competes with them and, on occasion, outperforms them. The best bowling figures in MLC innings are spread across both groups.
FAQs: Best Bowling Figures in an Innings in MLC
- Who has the best bowling figures in a single MLC innings?
Saurabh Netravalkar, with 6/9 for Washington Freedom against San Francisco Unicorns on July 22, 2023 — the only six-wicket haul in MLC history.
- How many five-wicket hauls has MLC seen?
Four across three seasons: Netravalkar (6/9), Parnell (5/20), Owen (5/17), and Milne (5/23).
- Who is the MLC top wicket-taker from the domestic USA cricket pathway?
Mohammad Mohsin, identified through the Dallas Premier League, is the Texas Super Kings’ all-time wicket-taker in MLC and appears twice in the all-time top 10 bowling figures list.
- Has any New Zealand bowler taken four or more wickets in a single MLC innings?
Three have — Rachin Ravindra (twice), Adam Milne, and Trent Boult each appear in the top ten.
- What is the most economical bowling spell in MLC top-10 history?
Netravalkar’s 6/9 at 2.34, followed by Mohsin’s 4/8 at 2.66.
- Why do the Washington Freedom appear so often in MLC’s best bowling figures?
Washington has consistently built squads with bowling depth across all three seasons — a roster philosophy reflected in five of the top ten all-time single-innings bowling performances belonging to their players.
Conclusion:
The ten bowlers on this list are not all the same type of cricketer, and that is part of what makes the list worth reading.
Established internationals, first-season domestic wildcards, part-time spinners, all-round batters who moonlight with the ball — each found a way to take four or more wickets on a surface designed to make that as difficult as possible.
Netravalkar’s 6/9 is the record. It has stood for three seasons and may stand for many more. But the nine spells beneath it are equally worth knowing.
Stay Updated:
This ranking covers MLC 2023, 2024, and the 2025 season in progress. Any spell that breaks into the top ten before MLC 2025 concludes will be added. Bookmark this page for the most current version of the list.
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