By Parth Dhall | Sep 23, 2025 | 10:47 PM
**ICC Suspends USA Cricket Amid Governance Overhaul; Participation in Upcoming T20 World Cup Unaffected**
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended USA Cricket (USAC) in an effort to revamp the leadership and governance of cricket in the United States. This decision was made during a virtual meeting of the ICC Board on Tuesday.
### Governance Reforms and ICC’s Ultimatum
The suspension follows a three-month deadline issued by the ICC to USAC to conduct “free and fair elections” and implement comprehensive governance reforms. The ICC had placed USAC “on notice” since July of the previous year, warning that failure to meet these requirements would prompt further action. The ICC Board emphasized that it “reserved the right to take any action” depending on the progress of these reforms.
### Impact on International Competitions
Despite the suspension, USA’s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 2024, remains unaffected. According to ESPNcricinfo, the suspension will also not impact cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
This is largely due to the ICC’s recently laid out “roadmap” designed to help USAC acquire National Governing Body (NGB) status from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The six-step plan proposed by ICC’s Normalisation Committee includes appointing three new independent directors to the USAC Board.
### What’s Next for USA Cricket?
Once the three independent directors are appointed, the USAC Board will resign and call for fresh elections. Following this, USAC will apply for NGB status to continue its progress. Additionally, a comprehensive review and reform of the USA Cricket Constitution is planned in consultation with the independent directors and ICC stakeholders.
However, details on who will manage cricket in the United States during the suspension period have yet to be clarified.
### Contract Dispute with American Cricket Enterprise
In recent developments, USAC terminated its contract with American Cricket Enterprise (ACE), the commercial partner and owner of Major League Cricket and Minor League Cricket. This decision has been met with criticism from players who feel caught in the middle of the dispute.
Last week, ACE responded by initiating legal action challenging the contract termination, adding further complexity to the situation surrounding America’s premier cricket leagues.
### 2024: A Landmark Year for USA Cricket
Despite internal challenges, 2024 has been a historic year for USA Cricket on the field. In May, the USA team claimed its first-ever bilateral T20I series win against a Full Member side by defeating Bangladesh 2-1 in Houston.
Furthermore, the USA co-hosted the T20 World Cup alongside the West Indies, achieving a remarkable victory over Pakistan in a thrilling Super Over at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. Unfortunately, subsequent defeats in the tournament ended their campaign.
Looking ahead, the USA is set to compete in the 2026 T20 World Cup, with hopes high for continued growth and success in international cricket.
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*Stay tuned for more updates on USA Cricket’s governance reforms and their journey in international competitions.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/usa-cricket-suspended-by-icc/story
