By Prakhar Sachdeo
Image: USA Cricket Twitter
CNBC-TV18.com
Published May 27, 2024
Image: Reuters
Cricket globally is driven by India but the the ICC sees huge potential in the American market and claims there are already 30 million fans that follow the game in the massive country.
Image: ICC
The upcoming Men's ICC T20 World Cup is also seen as a major stepping stone to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will make a comeback after 128 years when the big event kicks off on June 1.
Image: ICC
A total of 16 games will be played across three venues -- New York, Dallas and Lauderhill -- with a majority of 55 matches scheduled in the Caribbean including the knock-outs.
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"...(T20) it's entertainment and that's what people look for. That's what Americans look for, you know, they want entertainment," says legendary West Indian Brian Lara
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The ICC is pulling out all stops to engage with the American audience, whether it is getting eight-time Olympic gold-winning sprinter Usain Bolt on board as the World Cup ambassador.
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"I surely think the game can grow in the USA. When you have presence in a country people start gravitating towards it and want to know more about," Bolt, who belongs to the cricket-loving Caribbean, said in a recent interview.
Image: USA Cricket Twitter
The USA squad picked for the tournament makes up for a bunch of semi-professionals who rely on full-time jobs to run their families. That will have to change if the sport is to appeal to a broader audience in America, believes India-born USA squad member Nisarg Patel.
Image: Major League Cricket
The start of Major League Cricket last year, the sport's first professional league in the country, was a big step in that direction. However, to capture the imagination of people in a country with an already crowded and developed sporting landscape, would be a gargantuan challenge for the ICC and other stakeholders.