ICC has suspended USA Cricket‘s membership citing repeated breaches of its constitutional obligations which include governance failures and reputational concerns. While this intervention shifts administrative control to the ICC, it will not affect the USA team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup or the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
ICC pulls plug on USA Cricket over governance failures
The ICC finally acted after months of warnings and placed USA Cricket (USAC) under suspension, citing repeated misconduct and failure to address chronic governance shortcomings. The decision, taken during a virtual ICC Board meeting, is seen as a last resort following two years of indulgence and oversight.
According to the ICC, the primary reasons for suspension include failure to establish a functional governance model, neglect in securing National Governing Body (NGB) recognition with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and conduct that the council deemed damaging to cricket’s global reputation. Despite a July ultimatum where the federation was granted three months to implement reforms through free and fair elections, USAC failed to demonstrate concrete progress.
This marks the strictest disciplinary step against USAC since 2017 when the entity was originally expelled and replaced by a new governing body. Unlike that scenario, this suspension does not invalidate national team participation in international tournaments. The ICC was careful to clarify that its prime priority remains protecting athletes and ensuring the sport itself is not penalised due to boardroom shortcomings.
The council explained that over the past year, it collaborated with USAC leadership by establishing a reform roadmap through its Normalisation Committee led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. The plan included replacing three board members with independent directors, a wholesale review of the USAC constitution, and eventual elections. Inability to adhere to this roadmap forced the ICC to trigger suspension powers under its Constitution.
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Olympic pathway secured amid crisis
Despite the administrative turbulence, the participation of USA cricket teams in major global events is insulated from disruption. The ICC confirmed that both the men’s and women’s national teams will still play in the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka early next year, and preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Games proceed unaffected. Cricket’s Olympic return involves host USA fielding medal contenders, which makes governance credibility critical for the sport’s credibility in the US sporting framework.
A central condition placed on USAC was to achieve recognition as an official governing body with the USOPC, a prerequisite for Olympic participation across all sports. Failure to achieve this was one of the major breaches underlined by the ICC in its statement. While USAC’s inability to execute reforms drew strong rebuke, the ICC reassured stakeholders that the suspension is temporary and tied to structural compliance.
For reinstatement, USA Cricket will need to undergo institutional restructuring under strict oversight. The Normalisation Committee will now directly monitor operational mechanisms, consult with local stakeholders, and ensure demonstrable reform. The ICC underlined that only concrete evidence of governance transformation can lead to restored membership.
Calling the move “necessary albeit unfortunate,” the ICC stressed that it remains committed to nurturing cricket’s growth in the US market, where fan interest has surged in the backdrop of the 2024 Major League Cricket launch. The suspension is therefore seen as both punitive and remedial — a decisive intervention to reset cricket administration in order to safeguard the game’s global expansion.