Pat Cummins Signs with San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket

Pat Cummins, Australia's Test and World Cup winning captain, has signed a four-year contract with the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket.

The Unicorns landed the biggest signature so far in the fledgling American T20 pro franchise league, with Cummins joining the team ahead of the recent second season.

The 31-year-old Cummins does not play much franchise cricket due to his enormous international workload, but was attracted to the Unicorns for exploring business interests.

Cummins was lured to the Unicorns for the opportunity to get a foot into Silicon Valley, with the team's co-owners Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan having founded several successful companies.

The Unicorns are the latest partnership between Rajaraman and Harinarayan, who were founding partners of early ecommerce company Junglee, acquired by Amazon in 1998 for $250 million.

Cummins took just four wickets from six MLC matches, but saved his best performance for the final when he dismissed compatriots Travis Head and Steve Smith.

The Unicorns have wisely decided to embrace Silicon Valley as an identity, not just as a means of luring those wanting to expand their financial acumen, but also in the franchise's approach to analytics and AI.

Cummins' off-field attraction to the Bay Area is reminiscent of NBA superstar Kevin Durant's famous move to the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

The Unicorns finished runners-up in the recent second season, with Cummins' presence elevating the whole atmosphere of the team.

Rajaraman said of Cummins: "He's a fantastic guy, amazing human and very, very, very sharp."

Cummins has been divisive for some of his compatriots due to his advocacy for climate change, but represents a more cultivated modern player that has smashed to bits stereotypes.

The Unicorns' proximity to Silicon Valley gives them an edge in Major League Cricket, with the team's ability to attract top talent like Cummins a major boost for the credibility of the competition.

Cummins' deal with the Unicorns is a significant one, with the team offering healthy remuneration in line with rival T20 leagues.

The Australian cricketer has rarely played in the Big Bash League due to cricket's increasingly congested calendar, but has played in the Indian Premier League, where his recent deal was $2.4 million.