**ICC Suspends USA Cricket Amid Governance Overhaul: What This Means for American Cricket**
*By Parth Dhall | Sep 23, 2025, 10:47 PM*
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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially suspended USA Cricket (USAC) in an effort to revamp the leadership and governance of cricket in the United States. This decision was made during a virtual ICC Board meeting held on Tuesday.
### What Does the Suspension Mean for USA Cricket?
Despite the suspension, USA’s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup — scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026 — remains unaffected. The move primarily targets governance reforms within USAC to ensure a stronger administrative framework moving forward.
### Governance Reforms and ICC’s Ultimatum
The suspension comes after the ICC had previously issued a strict three-month ultimatum to USAC. The directive required the organization to conduct “free and fair elections” and implement “comprehensive” governance reforms. Since July of the previous year, USAC has been “on notice” due to delays in meeting these requirements.
The ICC Board has also reserved the right to take further action depending on how these reforms progress, emphasizing the importance of transparent and accountable governance within US cricket administration.
### Olympic Participation Remains on Track
According to ESPNcricinfo, the suspension will not impact cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The ICC recently developed a “roadmap” designed to assist USAC in obtaining national governing body (NGB) status from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
A key part of this six-step plan involves the appointment of three new independent directors to the USAC Board to oversee the reform process.
### What Happens Next? The Future of Cricket Governance in the USA
Following the appointment of new independent directors, the current USAC Board is expected to resign and facilitate fresh elections. Subsequently, USAC will initiate the formal application for NGB status.
Simultaneously, a “complete review and reform” of the USA Cricket Constitution is planned in collaboration with the Independent Directors and ICC stakeholders. However, it remains uncertain who will manage American cricket operations during the suspension period.
### Contract Dispute: USAC and ACE Clash
Adding to the governance turmoil, USAC recently terminated its contract with American Cricket Enterprise (ACE), the commercial partner and owner of Major League Cricket (MLC) and Minor League Cricket (MiLC).
This decision has sparked criticism from players who feel caught in the middle of the dispute. Last week, ACE filed a legal challenge against the termination, further complicating the situation for the leagues and stakeholders involved.
### 2024: A Historic Year for USA Cricket
Despite off-field challenges, 2024 has been a landmark year for USA Cricket on the field.
– **First Bilateral Series Win Over a Full Member:** In May, USA secured their first-ever bilateral T20 International series victory against a Full Member nation by defeating Bangladesh 2-1 in Houston.
– **T20 World Cup Co-host:** USA co-hosted the ICC T20 World Cup alongside the West Indies. One of the tournament’s highlights was the USA’s thrilling Super Over win against Pakistan at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas — a historic moment for American cricket.
However, defeats against other teams led to the early conclusion of USA’s T20 World Cup campaign.
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As USA Cricket navigates through this pivotal phase of governance reform and legal battles, the focus remains on maintaining progress on the field and solidifying the sport’s future in the United States.
*Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/usa-cricket-suspended-by-icc/story
