USA cricket in trouble as ICC considers suspension: reports

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly preparing to take stern action against USA Cricket (USAC) as the governing body’s 12-month notice period for governance reforms nears its end, according to international media.

The notice, issued in July 2024, came after the ICC flagged serious concerns over USAC’s internal structure, ranging from a lack of transparency and operational inefficiencies to persistent governance lapses.

In response, the ICC had appointed a normalisation committee tasked with steering USAC back to stability.

However, sources within the global body suggest that little tangible progress has been made over the past year, raising the possibility of a suspension.

“There’s been more resistance than reform,” one unnamed ICC official was quoted as saying. “We’ve provided ample time and support. The lack of progress is no longer acceptable.”

The official’s comments reflect growing frustration within the ICC over USAC’s inability, or unwillingness, to implement the necessary structural changes.

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According to reports, internal resistance within the USAC board and ineffective leadership have repeatedly hampered the committee’s efforts.

Earlier this month, an ICC delegation visited Los Angeles for urgent meetings with officials from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and members of the normalisation committee.

The visit was described as a last-ditch effort to assess whether the USA cricket board had taken any meaningful steps toward reform.

During the meetings, ICC officials reportedly underlined that governance overhaul is non-negotiable, especially with cricket’s return to the Olympic stage looming at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

While no official decision has been made yet, insiders say the clock is ticking. A final verdict is expected ahead of the ICC’s Annual Conference next month, where failure to demonstrate clear leadership reforms could result in USAC’s suspension from the global cricketing community.

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