Shane Watson Appointed Mentor of LA Knight Riders for MLC 2026

Shane Watson has been named mentor of LA Knight Riders ahead of the 2026 Major League Cricket season, which starts on Thursday, June 18. The Californian franchise opens its campaign a day later against the San Francisco Unicorns.

Knight Riders link-up

Watson moves into the wider Knight Riders family after acting as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2026 Indian Premier League. At LAKR he will work with familiar names such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Rovman Powell, all of whom have strong KKR connections in recent seasons.

MLC experience

He knows the tournament well. Watson was part of the San Francisco Unicorns’ coaching staff in MLC’s first three seasons, and the side reached the playoffs twice. They also made the 2024 final, losing to Washington Freedom by 96 runs in Dallas, where Steve Smith top-scored with 88.

A task at LAKR

His new brief is to lift a talented side that has struggled for consistency despite a line-up of high-profile T20 players. Los Angeles have finished bottom twice and second from bottom once. Last season they won only two matches, including a run of five straight defeats.

New home in Pomona

The Knight Riders Group has also unveiled a new home venue in Pomona, California. It will stage seven matches in 2026, the first time an MLC franchise has had a genuine home ground. The remaining fixtures will be played at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas and the Oakland Coliseum.