The world of cricket in the United States has been thrown into the spotlight once again, but this time, it’s not for a record-breaking win or a thrilling last-ball finish. On September 23, 2025, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the immediate suspension of USA Cricket’s membership, sending ripples through the American cricket community and raising questions about the sport’s governance in the country. Despite the dramatic move, the US national team’s journey on the world stage isn’t over, and fans can still look forward to seeing their heroes compete in upcoming international tournaments.
The ICC’s decision, made during an online board meeting, stems from what the global body described as “repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as an ICC member under the ICC’s constitution.” At the heart of the issue lies USA Cricket’s failure to implement a functional governance structure and its lack of progress toward achieving national governing body (NGB) status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. This status is crucial, especially with cricket set to make its Olympic return at the 2028 Los Angeles Games after a staggering 128-year hiatus.
The governing body’s patience had been wearing thin. USA Cricket was first put on notice at the 2024 ICC annual general meeting for non-compliance, with the organization given 12 months to address issues related to governance, finance, and administration. According to BBC Sport, evidence suggested that five out of eight flagged problems had been addressed by July 2025. Nevertheless, after the subsequent AGM, the ICC board maintained USA Cricket’s notice status, warning that “the ICC board reserves the right to take such actions as it deems appropriate.” Now, with the hammer finally coming down, the ICC has opted to suspend USA Cricket’s membership, citing not only governance failures but also “significant actions that caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”
For many American cricket fans and players, the timing of this suspension feels especially harsh. The US national team has been making headlines for all the right reasons on the field. Just last year, they pulled off a historic upset by defeating Pakistan, an ICC full member, in the group stage of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup—a tournament co-hosted by the US and the West Indies. That landmark victory not only ignited hope among fans but also secured the US team’s automatic qualification for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Despite the administrative chaos off the pitch, the ICC has made it clear that the US team’s participation in international competitions remains unaffected. In a move that’s sure to bring relief to players and supporters alike, the ICC will temporarily oversee the management and administration of the US national teams. This arrangement ensures that preparations for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles can continue without interruption.
USA Cricket’s leadership, however, is reeling from the suspension. Chief executive Johnathan Atkeison voiced his disappointment in a statement to BBC Sport, saying, “We were informed by the ICC of the decision to suspend USA Cricket. Obviously, we are disappointed, but we are awaiting further information from them regarding the conditions for reinstatement so that we can evaluate the path forward.” Meanwhile, USA Cricket chairman Venu Pisike told ESPNCricinfo that, as of September 23, “there has been no communication from the world governing body.” The lack of official notice has only added to the confusion and frustration surrounding the announcement.
So, what exactly led to this dramatic intervention by the ICC? The answer appears to be a combination of long-standing governance issues and the inability of USA Cricket to meet the requirements set out by the ICC’s constitution. The July 2025 AGM in Singapore proved to be a turning point. There, the ICC directed USA Cricket to hold free and fair elections and to carry out “comprehensive” governing reforms. When these directives went unheeded, the writing was on the wall. The ICC’s constitution demands that member organizations maintain transparency, effective leadership, and accountability—standards that USA Cricket, according to the ICC, has repeatedly failed to meet.
It’s worth noting that the US has been an associate member of the ICC since 1965. Over the decades, American cricket has experienced its share of ups and downs. The recent surge in performance, highlighted by the Super 8 run in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, had many hoping that the sport was finally gaining a foothold in a nation dominated by baseball, basketball, and American football. The suspension, then, represents not just a setback for administrators but a blow to the momentum that players and fans had worked so hard to build.
Still, there’s a silver lining. The ICC has emphasized that the suspension targets the administrative body, not the athletes. The US national team’s place in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup is secure, and the squad can continue to prepare for the Olympics. The ICC’s temporary oversight of team management could even offer a period of stability, allowing players to focus on cricket rather than boardroom politics.
The broader implications, however, are impossible to ignore. For cricket to be included in the Olympics, the sport’s governing body in the US must achieve NGB status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Without this recognition, the long-term future of cricket as an Olympic sport in the US remains uncertain. The ICC’s intervention, then, is as much about safeguarding the sport’s reputation as it is about ensuring American athletes can compete on the world’s biggest stage.
As the dust settles, all eyes are on the next steps for USA Cricket. Will the organization heed the ICC’s call for reform and regain its membership in time for the 2026 World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics? Or will ongoing administrative woes continue to cast a shadow over one of the sport’s most intriguing emerging markets?
For now, American cricketers and their fans can breathe a sigh of relief—at least where on-field action is concerned. The US team’s journey continues, with the world watching closely to see whether this administrative crisis will serve as a catalyst for meaningful change or another chapter in a turbulent history. The ball, quite literally, is in USA Cricket’s court.
