The San Francisco Unicorns have parted ways with captain Corey Anderson ahead of the 2026 Major League Cricket season, confirming what had become an increasingly likely outcome following two difficult years for the New Zealand-born all-rounder.
The decision signals the beginning of a broader rebuild for the franchise, which, despite reaching the playoffs in 2025, has chosen to prioritise a significant reset over continuity.
Anderson managed just 12 runs across three innings in 2025 before an injury ended his campaign early. That followed an underwhelming 2024 season, leaving the Unicorns with little justification to retain a player who had not been able to contribute meaningfully over two consecutive years.
Unicorns Head into Draft with One of the Smallest Squads
The scale of the Unicorns’ rebuild becomes clear when looking at the retained squad. Hassan Khan leads San Francisco’s domestic retentions, securing a contract in the top $75,000 bracket alongside players from other franchises. Beyond Khan, the retained group consists of Brody Couch, Hammad Azam, Juanoy Drysdale, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi on a rookie deal.
This is a lean core to build around, and it places considerable pressure on the upcoming domestic draft to fill the gaps.
Draft Stakes Are High for the Unicorns
There are expected to be around 15 spots available at the draft, with franchises required to field at least nine domestic players in their squads. For the Unicorns, with one of the smallest retained groups in the league, the draft is not merely an opportunity but a necessity. The quality and depth of the available pool will go a long way in determining whether San Francisco can be competitive in 2026.
Each franchise will operate with a draft purse of $355,000, adjusted based on retention numbers, which represents roughly a 10 percent increase from the 2025 cycle. Franchises that retained fewer players will carry more purse flexibility, which could work in the Unicorns’ favour as they look to add several players in one sitting.
However, the opportunity only materialises if the draft pool delivers. The available options in the draft are expected to be limited, which makes the Unicorns’ position a genuinely difficult one. They need volume and quality from a pool that may not have an abundance of either.
A Competitive Fast Bowling Pool Takes Shape
One area where the draft could offer genuine value is in pace bowling. The releases of Washington Freedom’s Justin Dill, MI New York’s Ehsan Adil, and Unicorns’ own Carmi le Roux are expected to add depth to what is shaping up as a competitive fast-bowling pool in the draft. For San Francisco, who have released le Roux, addressing the pace department will be one of the priorities on draft night.
Texas Super Kings’ decision to move on from Zia-ul-Haq also raised eyebrows, given his role as a consistent bowling spearhead across three seasons. His availability adds further intrigue to the fast bowling market within the draft.
League-Wide Changes Provide Context
The Unicorns are not the only franchise making bold moves ahead of 2026. LA Knight Riders have released top domestic draft pick Adithya Ganesh, who featured in just one game across two years, along with Nitish Kumar, who struggled to fulfil his potential over three seasons. The franchise has instead chosen to invest in the potential of Saif Badar.
The Seattle Orcas have taken a more measured approach, retaining most of their core. The primary forced change is the absence of Aaron Jones following his ICC suspension, with only Steven Taylor and Sujith Nayak departing.
MI New York and Washington Freedom appear the most settled of the six franchises, with balanced rosters already in place heading into the draft. That stands in contrast to San Francisco, which faces the most significant roster reconstruction of any team in the competition.
What Comes Next
The release of Corey Anderson closes a chapter for the Unicorns. He arrived in MLC with considerable pedigree and captaincy responsibilities, but back-to-back difficult seasons made the parting unavoidable. The franchise now turns to the domestic draft as the primary mechanism for reshaping its identity for 2026.
Whether the Unicorns emerge from that draft with a squad capable of building on their 2025 playoff run will depend on the decisions made over the course of a single draft night. The margin for error, given the thin pool and the number of spots to fill, is narrow. San Francisco’s 2026 campaign may well be defined before a single ball is bowled.
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