The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have taken complete charge of preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup. USA Cricket, which was earlier announced as the “co-host” of the event, continues to be a mere spectator and all the heavy lifting is being done jointly by the ICC and CWI.
In an exclusive conversation with News18 CricketNext, Dr Atul Rai, who served as interim chairman of USA Cricket from August 2022 to April 2023, and remains on the board, says the lack of facilities and proper infrastructure in the USA will cause a major headache to the ICC. When asked if the USA is ready to host a tournament as big as the T20 World Cup, Rai said, “It’s a very tough situation.” CricketNext reached out to International Cricket Council for a response and the story will be updated the moment ICC responds.
“Not really. I don’t think so. Not where we stand right now. But then again ICC has to make the final call. But without proper infrastructure, nothing is going to happen. We don’t have any existing facilities so it’s up to the ICC whether they will invest money in some makeshift venue and even host some games. But it’s a very tough situation, to be honest. ICC has recognised that too.”