**ICC Suspends USA Cricket Amid Governance Reforms, But T20 World Cup Participation Remains Unaffected**
*By Parth Dhall | Sep 23, 2025, 10:47 PM*
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended USA Cricket (USAC) in a move aimed at overhauling the leadership and governance of cricket in the United States. The decision was made during a virtual ICC Board meeting held on Tuesday.
### Governance Reforms and ICC Ultimatum
The suspension follows an ultimatum issued by the ICC, which had given USAC a three-month deadline to conduct “free and fair elections” and implement comprehensive governance reforms. Since July of the previous year, USAC had been “on notice” until these reforms were completed. The ICC Board also reserved the right to take further action depending on the progress of these changes.
### Olympic Participation Remains Unaffected
According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC’s suspension of USAC will not impact cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This is due to the ICC’s recently devised “roadmap” to assist USAC in gaining National Governing Body (NGB) status from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
This six-step plan, developed by the ICC’s Normalisation Committee, requires USAC to appoint three new independent directors to its board as part of the revamp.
### The Road Ahead: Who Will Lead USA Cricket?
Following the appointment of the new independent directors, the current USAC Board will resign, paving the way for fresh elections. At that point, USAC will apply for NGB status. A complete review and reform of the USA Cricket Constitution is also planned, to be undertaken in consultation with the newly appointed independent directors and ICC stakeholders.
However, the question of who will manage cricket operations in the United States during the suspension period remains unclear.
### Contract Dispute: USAC Terminates Deal with ACE
In a related development, USAC recently terminated its contract with American Cricket Enterprise (ACE), the commercial partner and owner of Major League Cricket and Minor League Cricket. This decision has sparked criticism from players who feel caught in the middle of the ongoing dispute.
Last week, ACE decided to legally challenge the termination, adding further complexity to the situation surrounding the key cricket leagues in the country.
### Looking Ahead: 2024 — A Historic Year for USA Cricket
Despite the governance challenges, USA Cricket is set to compete in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The year 2024 saw several landmark achievements for the team:
– In May, the United States recorded its first-ever bilateral T20 International series victory over a Full Member side by defeating Bangladesh 2-1 in Houston.
– The USA also co-hosted the ICC T20 World Cup alongside the West Indies.
– In a historic moment, the USA defeated Pakistan via a Super Over at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Although subsequent defeats curtailed the USA’s campaign, these milestones mark significant progress for cricket in the country.
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The ICC’s suspension of USA Cricket marks a pivotal chapter in the sport’s development in America, with major reforms underway to strengthen governance and secure the nation’s future in international cricket.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/usa-cricket-suspended-by-icc/story
