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ICC Suspends USA Cricket Board Over Governance Failures

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ICC Suspends USA Cricket Board Over Governance Issues

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended USA Cricket (USAC) with immediate effect, citing repeated governance failures and breaches of membership obligations. The decision, announced after the ICC Board’s virtual meeting on Tuesday, marks a major reset for cricket administration in the United States.

Despite the suspension, the USA national team will still compete in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka as well as prepare for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Why Did ICC Suspend USA Cricket?

The ICC had earlier given USAC a three-month deadline during its July annual meeting to conduct β€œfree and fair elections” and implement wide-ranging reforms. However, USAC failed to meet the required standards.

An ICC press release stated:

β€œπ‘»π’‰π’Šπ’” π’…π’†π’„π’Šπ’”π’Šπ’π’ π’˜π’‚π’” 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝑼𝑺𝑨 π‘ͺπ’“π’Šπ’„π’Œπ’†π’•β€™π’” 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’„π’π’π’•π’Šπ’π’–π’†π’… 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 π’Šπ’•π’” π’π’ƒπ’π’Šπ’ˆπ’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’π’” 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝑰π‘ͺπ‘ͺ π‘΄π’†π’Žπ’ƒπ’†π’“β€¦ π’Šπ’π’„π’π’–π’…π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’‡π’‚π’Šπ’π’–π’“π’† 𝒕𝒐 π’Šπ’Žπ’‘π’π’†π’Žπ’†π’π’• 𝒂 π’‡π’–π’π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’π’‚π’ π’ˆπ’π’—π’†π’“π’π’‚π’π’„π’† 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’”π’Šπ’ˆπ’π’Šπ’‡π’Šπ’„π’‚π’π’• π’‚π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’π’” 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 π’“π’†π’‘π’–π’•π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’π’‚π’ π’…π’‚π’Žπ’‚π’ˆπ’†.”

The ICC further highlighted that USAC’s inability to achieve National Governing Body (NGB) status with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) played a key role in the suspension.

Impact on Cricket in USA

While the suspension affects administrative control, the ICC confirmed that it will temporarily manage the USA national teams to ensure athletes are not harmed.

Calling the move β€œunfortunate but necessary,” the ICC added:

β€œπ‘Άπ’–π’“ 𝒕𝒐𝒑 π’‘π’“π’Šπ’π’“π’Šπ’•π’š π’Šπ’” π’†π’π’”π’–π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’‘π’π’‚π’šπ’†π’“π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 π’Šπ’•π’”π’†π’π’‡ 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’Šπ’Žπ’‘π’‚π’„π’•π’†π’… 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’”π’–π’”π’‘π’†π’π’”π’Šπ’π’.”

The roadmap prepared by ICC’s Normalisation Committee, led by chairman Jay Shah, had outlined six steps for governance reforms. These included bringing in independent directors, holding fresh elections, and restructuring the USAC Constitution. Failure to comply with these steps ultimately triggered the suspension.

The Way Forward

For USA Cricket to regain its membership, it must follow a strict procedure involving β€œdemonstrable and specific changes” in governance, operations, and organizational structure. The Normalisation Committee will oversee this transition and support the process.

The ICC reiterated its long-term vision:

β€œπ‘»π’‰π’† 𝑰π‘ͺπ‘ͺ π’“π’†π’Žπ’‚π’Šπ’π’” π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’Šπ’•π’•π’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 π’”π’–π’‘π’‘π’π’“π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’ˆπ’“π’π’˜π’•π’‰ 𝒐𝒇 π’„π’“π’Šπ’„π’Œπ’†π’• π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π‘Όπ’π’Šπ’•π’†π’… 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’†π’π’”π’–π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’•π’” 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒇𝒖𝒍 π’‘π’‚π’“π’•π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‘π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’ˆπ’π’π’ƒπ’‚π’ π’”π’•π’‚π’ˆπ’†.”

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