USA Cricket has dismissed reports of ICC mulling taking away its hosting rights for T20 World Cup 2024. USA are the co-host along with West Indies for the mega T20 event in 2024. However, the lack of cricket infrastructure in the USA has been questioned again and again. But USA Cricket is now banking on Major League Cricket (MLC 2023) to convince the ICC (International Cricket Council) of retaining the hosting rights.
“We haven’t had any discussions with the ICC in this regard. We are putting our best foot forward in preparing necessary infrastructure for the T20 World Cup, which is a year away,” a USA Cricket administrator told PTI.
Earlier, a News18 report suggested that ICC is mulling shifting out T20 WC out of the West Indies & the USA to England due to the absence of proper cricket stadiums and infrastructure in general. However, with USAC hosting its own T20 event, it is confident that it can ward off any challenge.
“Concerns about makeshift venues etc are natural because the US does not host cricketing events regularly but we have the Major League Cricket coming up and a successful hosting of the T20 tournament will ward off a lot of concerns,” the official added.
What helps USAC in its endeavor is MLC and some of the superstars playing in it. Furthermore, with IPL franchises owning some of the MLC teams, BCCI will also be keen to support both CWI and USAC to retain hosting rights.
The likes of England’s Jason Roy, Australia’s Adam Zampa, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, and Moises Henriques have signed for the MLC T20. The inaugural tournament will begin on July 13 with the final on July 30. Texas’
Texas’ Grand Prairie Stadium is undergoing renovations to turn it into a cricket stadium. It will host the final. It used to be a baseball stadium.
“We are ready for staging the MLC T20. Some frontline cricketers from across the world are participating in the tournament. That will go a long way in establishing our credentials as a big-ticket event host,” the USAC official said.
No plan on shifting T20 World Cup 2024 out
Furthermore, ICC has also dismissed reports of a possible change in venue. USA is and will remain the hosts for the mega event in October 2024.
“There has been no discussion on any ICC forum on shifting the T20 World Cup 2024 from the West Indies and the USA. It will go ahead and an announcement on the venues will be made shortly,” an ICC official told PTI.
Oakland, Florida and Los Angeles are some of the cities that are under discussion. ICC Venue inspection team has also recced the prospective centres for the event. The big India versus Pakistan match is likely to be played in the USA and not West Indies with crowd support for both teams high in the USA.
India will also play two T20s in the USA while touring West Indies in July.
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