The International Cricket Council will work closely with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee to ensure American players are protected from the ongoing administrative and financial crisis engulfing cricket in the country.
The ICC placed USA Cricket under provisional suspension in September last year, citing serious breaches of its membership regulations. Shortly after the suspension, the national governing body filed for bankruptcy, deepening uncertainty around the future of elite programmes and player welfare.
In response, the ICC has assumed responsibility for financially supporting USA’s national team players during the suspension period. The governing body said it is prepared to fund and manage all aspects of the country’s high-performance programme to prevent disruption to players’ careers.
In a statement, the ICC said: “During the period of suspension of USA Cricket, the ICC is ready, if required, to fund and administer all aspects of the USA high-performance programme, including payment of salaries to selected and contracted USA players.”
The timing is significant. The United States are scheduled to compete at the Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe from January, the men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March, and the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028, where cricket will return to the Olympic programme.
The ICC revealed that it had initially offered USA Cricket a loan following the bankruptcy filing to cover salaries for players and high-performance staff. That proposal was not accepted.
“Unfortunately, USA Cricket did not take up that offer,” the ICC said. “As a result, the ICC is now exploring whether it can directly pay players on behalf of USA Cricket.”
Safeguarding USA’s participation at the Los Angeles Olympics remains a central concern. An ICC spokesperson said: “Our primary responsibility is to the players representing the USA on the global stage. The bankruptcy process involving USA Cricket cannot and will not be allowed to impact their preparation for ICC events or the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“The ICC stands fully ready to administer and fund the high-performance programme and ensure all national team players receive the support they are entitled to.”
Administrative instability has plagued US cricket for several years. The ICC confirmed that its normalisation committee will continue overseeing efforts to resolve governance issues, while also monitoring the approval and operation of domestic competitions, including Major League Cricket, during the ongoing suspension.
