Cricket has taken a huge step towards growing its global appeal by earning a ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. However, the issue is around the participation of the number of sides. Only six teams will be allowed to make it into the final T20 matches to compete for the Gold, which indicates that the competition will be fierce.

The hosts, the United States of America, as the reports have revealed, have already qualified for the main event of the competition. Apart from them, five more nations will be trying hard to get their names in the tournament. The International Cricket Council, after two days of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), is set to use the regional rankings to decide which teams will go ahead.

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This means only the top-ranked teams of Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa will automatically qualify for the tournament. The final place for that will be decided by a qualifier. It was a concern, a few days ago, to find a suitable window for the games in the packed calendar, alongside a few logistical issues. But at the moment, it seems like the ICC is happy with the qualifying event.

Report reveals USA’s future of qualification for the LA2028 Olympics

It has also given an update on the West Indies. The problem for the Caribbean side is which country from them will represent the cricket game. But it has been disclosed, by the reports, that they are likely to hold their individual tournament to determine which country will play the qualifier from them.

On the other hand, the T20 World Cup will decide the women’s Olympics, and there is uncertainty about the USA’s selection. It’s the game’s return to the Olympics after over a century, and it will take place at the Fairgrounds stadium in the city of Pomona, about 50 km from Los Angeles, starting from July 12.

A few days ago, it was reported that the USA cricket team could face suspension. But the latest reports have revealed that the world body is set to give them a window of three months to clear the governance clearance. The board is under increased scrutiny ahead of the Olympics.

While the United States cricket team has recently impressed the cricket world, especially in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 as the co-hosts with West Indies, their cricket board is in deep trouble, as the board is in danger of a suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Here, we are going through the whole story briefly.  

In July 2024, the ICC sent a notice to the United States Cricket (USAC) after citing the board's lack of a "fit for purpose" governance and administrative structure. To oversee compliance and reforms of the USAC, the ICC established a normalisation committee during that notice. This governance notice has a 12-month period that will end this July, while there is very little progress in the USAC. 

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United States Cricket leadership has big issue

According to the latest TOI report source, if the USAC leadership doesn't change significantly before the upcoming ICC Annual Conference this July, the ICC is likely to suspend the USAC. Surely, it will be a terrible story for the USA cricket teams, which have just started to make some impact in world cricket, that can inspire the cricket world.  

The TOI report claimed that an ICC official stated that the situation in the USAC is unstable due to dysfunction and internal disputes. Talking about the present ICC situation, the official further added, “The ICC’s position is clear: effective governance is non-negotiable, especially ahead of cricket’s return to the Olympics at LA 2028."

Will we see some resignations from USAC?

This June, an ICC delegation visited Los Angeles for meetings with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). In their meeting with the USAC members, the ICC representative reportedly requested the board members to step down voluntarily. While some of the members are reportedly ready to resign, others haven't shown their supportive natures for the solution yet. 

Meanwhile, the TOI report has also learnt that the ICC officials' recent meetings in Los Angeles have been pushed into informal categories rather than any official talks. 

According to the TOI report, several resignations are expected from the USAC in the next few weeks to save the board from any tough sanctions from the ICC. 

The anticipation builds as the second edition of Major League Cricket (MLC) commences on July 4, 2024. This landmark event marks a significant milestone in the United States cricket landscape. Through MLC, the US Cricket Board aims to elevate the sport to unprecedented heights in a region traditionally dominated by basketball, baseball, and football.

With the domestic player draft concluded on March 21 and the strategic addition of overseas players ongoing, this league is poised to deliver thrilling cricketing action and showcase the sport’s rich potential in the U.S.

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Background of Major League Cricket

MLC was launched with the vision of popularizing cricket in the United States. Major League Cricket aims to tap into the vast potential of one of the world’s largest sports markets. The inaugural edition laid a solid foundation, attracting attention from cricket fans globally and setting the stage for an even more ambitious second edition.

The Domestic Player Draft

The draft on March 21 was a crucial step in shaping the teams for the upcoming tournament. Local talents were given the spotlight, emphasizing the league’s commitment to nurturing homegrown talent alongside the star power of international cricketers.

The full player list for MLC 2024 is below, to be updated as players are signed.

Los Angeles Knight Riders

Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Jason Roy, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Ali Khan, Unmukt Chand, Nitish Kumar, Corne Dry, Saif Badar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Derone Davis, Adithya Ganesh, Matthew Tromp

MI New York

Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Nicholas Pooran, Steven Taylor, Ehsan Adil, Nosthush Kenjige, Monank Patel, Shayan Jahangir, Ruben Clinton, Shayan Jahangir, Heath Richards, Romario Shepherd, Rushil Ugarkar

San Francisco Unicorns

Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Tajinder Singh, Carmi Le Roux, Brody Couch, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Finn Allan, Haris Rauf, Karima Gore, Matthew Short, Jahmar Hamilton, Hassan Khan,

Seattle Orcas

Quinton de Kock, Wayne Parnell, Harmeet Singh, Shubham Ranjane, Cameron Gannon, Nauman Anwar, Heinrich Klaasen, Imad Wasim, Hammad Azam, Michael Bracewell, Ayan Desai, Shehan Jayasuriya, Ali Sheikh

Texas Super Kings

Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, Calvin Savage, Milind Kumar, Cameron Stevenson, Mohammad Mohsin, Faf du Plessis, Daryl Mitchell, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Raj Nannan, Zia Shahzad, Joshua Tromp, Zia ul-Haq

Washington Freedom

Marco Jansen, Andries Gous, Mukhtar Ahmed, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Justin Dill, Akhilesh Bodugum, Akeal Hosin, Amila Aphonso, Ian Holland, Lahiru Milantha, Yasir Mohammad, Steve Smith

*updated April 11, 2024 – subject to change