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    STUMP VISION                                                             JUNE 19, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 45

            San Francisco Unicorns: Building

                         More Than a Cricket Team

                Although the Unicorns still do not have a permanent home ground, the Oakland Coliseum has

            become a successful temporary base. An unbeaten home campaign in 2025 helped build strong local
                    support, and the venue will host the entire 2026 MLC playoffs and championship match

                           ARCHAN MEHTA

                  he rise of the San Francisco Unicorns in Ma-
                  jor League Cricket has been driven by far
            Tmore than performances on the field. Behind
            the franchise’s rapid growth is a carefully planned
            strategy led by CEO David White, whose experi-
            ence across Australian sport has helped transform
            the Unicorns into one of the league’s most ambi-
            tious organizations.
                White  arrived  in  California  in  late  2023  and
            took over as CEO in October 2024. Having previ-
            ously worked with Cricket Australia, Hockey Aus-
            tralia and Cricket Victoria, he brought a wealth of
            administrative experience to a market where cricket   The next chapter begins on June 19 when the Unicorns open their 2026 Major League Cricket campaign against
            is still finding its place. His vision has been to build a
            franchise that combines sporting success with long-                     the Los Angeles Knight Riders in Dallas (File photo)
            term commercial sustainability, borrowing heavily
            from the innovation-driven culture of the Bay Area.  Asian community. His arrival also highlights the   the  organization  has  intensified  its  search  for  a
                A major pillar of that strategy is the fran-  franchise’s ambition to become a major force both   permanent venue, even appointing a Chief Real
            chise’s commitment to technology and analytics.   on and off the field.                    Estate Officer to lead the process.
            The Unicorns have invested heavily in their pro-  The squad itself reflects a shift in long-term   For White, however, success extends beyond
            prietary platform, “Unicorns.ai”, which is used   planning. Despite finishing the 2025 regular sea-  trophies and league standings. One of his key pri-
            for  talent  identification,  opposition  scouting  and   son with an impressive 6-1 record, the Unicorns   orities has been the development of the Unicorns
            strategic planning. The system has become central   recognized the need to refresh and future-proof   Foundation, which aims to expand youth participa-
            to how the franchise operates. While former head   their roster. As a result, they invested in emerging   tion and make cricket more accessible across the
            coach Shane Watson played a significant role in es-  talents such as South African wicketkeeper-batter   Bay Area. His long-term vision is to see thriving
            tablishing the team’s competitive foundation, the   Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Australian prospect Ol-  cricket communities throughout Fremont, Santa
            Unicorns sought a different direction ahead of the   lie Peake. Domestic recruits including Aakarshit   Clara, Sunnyvale and beyond, supported by strong
            2026 season. Cameron White was appointed head   Gomel and Zia-ul-Haq further strengthened the   infrastructure, commercial partnerships and a
            coach because of his ability to work closely within   squad. The goal is clear: remain competitive today   dedicated home stadium.
            the franchise’s year-round, data-driven model and   while creating a pathway for the next generation of   The next chapter begins on June 19 when the
            integrate technology into daily cricket operations.  American cricketers.                  Unicorns open their 2026 Major League Cricket
                That forward-thinking approach is perhaps    The franchise’s connection with the Bay Area   campaign against the Los Angeles Knight Riders
            best reflected in the signing of Ravichandran Ash-  has also grown rapidly. Although the Unicorns still   in Dallas. Five days later, they return to Oakland
            win for the 2026 season. The move was one of the   do not have a permanent home ground, the Oak-  to face the Texas Super Kings. As they continue
            most significant moments in Major League Cricket   land Coliseum has become a successful temporary   their pursuit of silverware, the Unicorns are also
            history, making Ashwin the first recently capped   base. An unbeaten home campaign in 2025 helped   laying the foundations for something larger: estab-
            Indian international to join an American fran-  build strong local support, and the venue will host   lishing cricket as a permanent part of the sporting
            chise. For the Unicorns, Ashwin offers much more   the entire 2026 MLC playoffs and championship   landscape in Northern California.
            than wickets and experience. He brings global   match. Yet White remains focused on securing a
            star power, mentorship for younger players and a   cricket-specific stadium. Following the end of ne-  Archan Mehta is a writer dedicated to telling compelling
            strong connection with the Bay Area’s large South   gotiations at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds,   stories about athletes, teams, and the world of cricket

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