With less than 17 days left until the start of the 2024 T20 World Cup, there is no talk of the multinational tournament to be jointly hosted by West Indies and the United States. Although the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s most ambitious project is to bring cricket to America, the build-up to cricket's full-scale entry into these countries has so far been embarrassingly quiet and modest. be.
The international body has officially unveiled the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, which will host several important T20 WC matches including India vs Pakistan. Surprisingly, there were no Indian cricketers among the “multiple sports stars” who gathered to see the modular facility for the first time.
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Understandably, broadcaster Disney, which paid close to Rs 24,000 crore in ICC media rights fees for India from 2024 to 2027, is pleased with its efforts to promote its first ICC event in the new cycle. do not have. There are 179 matches in this cycle and only 26 involve India, so Disney will find it very difficult to recover the amount thanks to its huge bid. A lack of buzz around the tournament, nightmarish time zone differences and problems filling seats for top-level games are becoming increasingly frustrating for organizers.
“Disney is understandably very disappointed as there appears to be no marketing plan for the World Cup. Cricket's trip to America had been touted as its most ambitious project yet, but Virat Kohli Has something happened after the first promotion featuring top Indian cricketers like ? Not enough is happening,” said an industry insider who tracks developments. .
USA Cricket impending suspension
The global cricket body wants to grow cricket in the United States by attracting the biggest superstars, but little is being done to ensure a robust structure is in place. First of all, USA Cricket is in turmoil and is just a spectator. It is because of the T20 World Cup that the impending cancellation was postponed and the ICC is likely to take a harsh stance after the multinational tournament.
From regular CEO resignations to management turmoil and selection issues, the United States continues to be in turmoil, and even the ICC seems to have had enough. Dr. Noor Mohammad Murad was hand-picked by the ICC leadership as US Cricket's CEO to restore order, but his firing has not gone down well with them.
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“Nothing was improving in the United States. There was musical chairs among the officials and chief executives of the ICC, and Dr. Murad, who had done so well in Afghanistan, felt he was the right person to set the stage. But even he was not allowed to act and his contract was terminated after just eight months. This was enough for the ICC and it was extreme because of the World Cup. No action was taken,” said a person familiar with the matter.
It is reliably learned that ICC executives tried to persuade Dr Murad to stay until the end of the World Cup, but he did not agree. Before receiving his termination letter, Dr. Murad ensured that the ICC was informed of any administrative, financial, or cricketing disruptions within the United States.
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“Dr. Murad is a man of principles. The ICC made a lot of efforts to keep him until after the World Cup because they thought it would bring bad publicity, but he is ready to share space with USA Cricket officials. Well before receiving the termination letter, Dr. Murad wrote a letter to the ICC, documenting everything and also informing the USOPC (United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee),” the source added.
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CricketNext attempted to contact USA Cricket Chairman Venu Pisike. The article will be updated if he responds.
Where is the big picture?
USA Cricket officials have been kept a safe distance from all T20 World Cup activities and will continue to be spectators co-hosting this prestigious event. It was not surprising that the media release announcing the opening of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium did not cite a single US cricket official by name.
It is understood that no current USA Cricket official is involved in the planning and execution of the event, with the ICC subcontracting everything to a third-party vendor. Most of the infrastructure upgrades are only for the duration of the World Cup and play little role in the growth of the game at the grassroots level.
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The Nassau County land on which the modular facility will be built will only be granted during the T20 World Cup and demolition period. We are currently discussing the possibility of third party use, but no decision has been made yet. Permanent structures in Florida and Dallas are also being renovated, but most are only temporary overlays.
Cricket is about to arrive in the United States, but the world is at a disadvantage in terms of addressing the big picture: growing the game in this region and developing what could be one of the most rewarding markets for the sport. groups have clearly missed the bus. .
First published: May 16, 2024, 14:00 IST