Decoding the rise of USA cricket team in recent years
The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup will get underway on June 1 with West Indies and USA co-hosting the mega competition. This will be the first major ICC event in America and many eyes will be on the home team. Notably, USA recently scripted history by thrashing Bangladesh 2-1 in the T20I series at home. Here we decode the team's recent rise.
New body formed in 2019
Notably, ICC suspended the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) in 2015 due to governance, finance, and several other issues. The ban was lifted in 2019, and subsequently, a new governing body, USA Cricket, was officially registered as an associate member of the ICC. In March 2019, USA made their T20I debut and the team has been on the rise ever since.
MLC bolstered the cricketing infrastructure
In 2019, Sameer Mehta, the co-founder of American Cricket Enterprise, won the rights to own and operate a T20 league in USA (Major League Cricket). ACE was also determined to improve the cricketing infrastructure in the nation as they started working on the same. Subsequently, turf wickets were installed as aspiring cricketers in the nation got an opportunity to up their game.
The approach toward MLC
Before launching the MLC, ACE set up numerous academies and turf wicket grounds across the United States. Moreover, a different tournament comprising 26 teams was also formed, Minor League (MiLC). It's a pathway competition that now underpins the MLC. After two successful seasons of MiLC, ACE launched the MLC in July 2023. The tournament featured six sides.
Local players bolstered from the competition
The MLC saw several prominent players from across the globe mark their presence. As per the rules, at least six USA players must be in the playing XI. This largely benefited the local players as they got to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the business. Notably, the inaugural season of MLC ran between July 13 and July 30.
Inclusion of stars from different nations
The rise of cricket in the country inspired many out-of-favor cricketers from other nations to shift to USA. Former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson, who represented the Kiwis in the 2014 and 2016 editions of the T20 WC, will represent USA in the 2024 event. Spin-bowling all-rounder Harmeet Singh, who represented India in two Under-19 World Cups, is now Anderson's teammate.
Historic series triumph over Bangladesh
The USA cricket team scripted history last month by clinching the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The American side won the series opener by five wickets before clinching the second game by six runs. This was USA's maiden T20I series win over a full-member team. Bangladesh, however, won the series final, which was a dead rubber, by 10 wickets.
