The International Cricket Council (ICC), in a press release on Monday, said it is committed to safeguarding the interests of the USA cricket team’s players despite the ongoing governance and financial crisis within USA Cricket (USAC).
The ICC Board had suspended USAC on September 23, “for serious breaches of the ICC Membership Criteria”, but maintained that the decision must not adversely impact the players and their preparations for the upcoming events, such as the ICC Men’s Under 19 World Cup 2026, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
In the release, the ICC also said it was ready to fund all the aspects of the USA High Performance Programme and pay the players contracted with the USAC during the Board’s suspension.
“The ICC offered to provide funding to USA Cricket by way of a loan in accordance with the Chapter 11 legal process that included, amongst other things, the payment of all player and High-Performance staff salaries. Unfortunately, that offer was not accepted by USA Cricket. The ICC is now, therefore, looking to see if it can make those payments directly, where appropriate, on behalf of USA Cricket,” the ICC added.
An ICC spokesperson said: “Our foremost responsibility is to the players who represent the United States on the world stage. The bankruptcy proceedings initiated by USA Cricket should not, and will not, derail their preparation for ICC events or the LA28 Olympic Games. The ICC stands ready to manage and fund the High-Performance Programme, and ensure all National team players continue to receive the support they deserve. We continue to work closely with the USOPC to build a robust and stable high-performance pathway for LA28. The future of the USA’s players, and the sport’s growth in a key market, remains a major priority for the ICC.”
The USA is set to participate in next year’s T20 World Cup after it secured direct qualification for the global showpiece owing to its impressive run in the 2024 edition, where it stunned Pakistan to reach the Super Eight stage.
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