The T20 World Cup will spread much-needed cricket awareness in the United States, but it is ultimately the lure of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics that will attract Americans to a sport mainly played by expats, said USA Cricket chairman Venu Pisike.
The US is co-hosting the month-long tournament alongside the West Indies. The US team will also be making their World Cup debut when they face neighbours Canada in the tournament-opener on June 1.
The team is made up mainly of semi-professional cricketers of South Asian heritage, with former New Zealand star Corey Anderson switching allegiance to his adopted homeland.
Former Indian first-class cricketer Milind Kumar and former India U-19 player Harmeet Singh are also part of the squad.
Speaking to the Press Trust of India, Pisike agreed it is a major challenge to take cricket to the masses in the US.
“So far, cricket is predominantly an expats’ game, but with the marketing and promotional activities during the World Cup, there will be some momentum, and the World Cup will definitely boost the opportunities to expand the game in the US,” said Pisike.
“Then there is the opportunity for cricket to be in the Olympics – that will definitely attract the community because the US is a huge sports country.”
The World Cup will be played across three venues in the US – New York, Miami and Dallas -– but the facility that has been under close watch is in New York where India and Pakistan face off on June 9.
India will also play Ireland and the US in the 34,000-capacity makeshift stadium in Eisenhower Park.
“The new stadium will become a wonder of cricketing infrastructure,” said Pisike. “The pitches were recently brought in (from Australia) and dropped into the stadium. We are expecting decent pitches in terms of striking a balance between the bat and ball.”
With the World Cup taking place at home, the US squad did not train in India as it has done in the past. But Pisike is seeking the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) help with the US players’ training and exposure after the mega event.
“In the past, we have sent our men’s team to Karnataka before they participated in the Cricket World Cup qualifiers in 2022,” he said.
“There are several discussions happening with various cricket associations and we definitely want to partner with and use the resources available.”
The BCCI recently made it clear that associate nations cannot directly get in touch with state units, and all requests must be routed through the parent body.
The previous cricket body in the US was suspended by the International Cricket Council due to governance issues, and the current regime was given recognition in 2019.
Pisike acknowledged the challenges on that front. “The governance will be streamlined with the opportunity to become an Olympic National Governing Body because the US Olympics requires certain guidelines to be followed and certain policies to be adopted,” he said.
“In terms of financial management and other related activities, we are fully in compliance compared to the previous regime.”
