Think about landing a golden ticket to the Olympics… with a ticking time bomb. That’s exactly the position in which USA Cricket (USAC) finds itself today. As the world prepares for cricket’s grand return to the Olympic stage at LA28, this country’s cricket board is catching some heat. The ICC has just given USAC a three-month respite to figure things out with all the governance kerfuffle, and if they can’t get this sorted soon, it could be a full-blown mess, just as the whole world is looking in.
A Crisis Delayed, Not Averted
Honestly, this isn’t the first time USA Cricket has faced such issues. It has had to deal with governance failings, conflicts, and a lack of a clear vision for long enough that something was bound to give. The ICC issued an official call for reforms to USAC in July 2024, yet a year on, the situation remains largely the same. An ICC Normalisation Committee even travelled to the U.S. to assess reform progress, and they were not impressed. That said, the ICC decided to be patient rather than punitive at this time due to the upcoming LA Olympics.
The real tough love is that without meaningful change, USAC could lose its right to choose its national teams for LA28. Kind of like you were invited to have your party, but the ICC might get someone else to run it. Oof.
Who Picks the Team for LA28?
One of the biggest ironies here is that the USA men’s and women’s teams would already be qualified for the LA Olympics, because of being the host country. What stands out now with USAC under the microscope from both the ICC and the U.S. Is the responsibility of team selection assigned to the USOPC?
That’s where the ICC’s hybrid model selection comes into play. While other countries are qualifying through ICC T20 rankings or qualifying matches, if USAC can not get its act together, the selection of the USA team could, in effect, be handed over to someone else. Can you imagine a third party or even ICC-appointed selectors taking the helm? It’s awkward. It’s messy. And it’s never been done in international cricket before.
A Temporary Reprieve with Long-Term Stakes
Let us not forget that we are in the US, one of the biggest, untapped cricket markets. The T20 World Cup will be co-hostedT20 World Cup will be co-hosted by the USA in 2024, and for the first time since 1900, cricket will be back in the Olympics. The ICC, under the stewardship of Jay Shah, knows this very well. To then abandon USA Cricket right before such an important period for the sport would be a tremendous public relations blunder.
The three-month extension is more than a friendly gesture; it is a calculated risk. The ICC appears optimistic that USAC can recover and be a legitimate force by the time LA28 arrives. However, make no mistake: the clock is ticking, and failure might mean a significant amount of restructuring, or even worse, intervention in national teams from outside sources.
The ICC granting USA Cricket an additional three months before any action should be viewed less as a sign of confidence and more as an ultimatum. With the sporting world watching in 2028 when it heads to Los Angeles, the USA Cricket board finds itself in a precarious position. The question now becomes, will they deliver or drop the biggest of balls?
To catch up on the most current news on all of your favorite thrilling cricket updates, visit Six6slive to access our comprehensive Latest News, insightful analysis, and updates. Connect with the action now to make sure you never miss out!