The International Cricket Council will cover payments for contracted U.S. national team players and fund the country’s high-performance program while USA Cricket remains suspended, according to an ICC press release .
The ICC’s announcement on Monday was meant to keep the US on track for next year’s men’s Twenty20 World Cup and protect long-term plans for cricket’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, according to Reuters.
USA Cricket was suspended by the ICC in September after the global body cited governance failures, a lack of progress toward recognition by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and actions it said damaged the sport’s reputation in the United States and internationally, according to Reuters.
In a statement the ICC said it would not allow the dysfunction of USA Cricket to affect the United States’ participation or competitiveness in global events, or the ICC’s broader work tied to Olympic inclusion.
USA Cricket has filed for bankruptcy, Reuters reported. The governing body had previously rejected an ICC funding offer structured as a loan that required salaries for players and staff to be paid.
The United States is scheduled to compete in the next men’s T20 World Cup beginning in February, Reuters said.
