Edinburgh: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to suspend USA Cricket (USAC) and Cricket Canada (CC) following discussions at its annual conference in Edinburgh, while France Cricket has also been put on notice.
The Mauritius Cricket Federation (MCF) was also recognized as a new associate member of the ICC at the conference which began on July 8 and ended on Saturday.
With the accession of Mauritius to the Governing Body, the ICC’s membership has increased to 111 from 12 full members and 99 associate members.
The ICC Board held extensive discussions regarding the circumstances involving USA Cricket and Cricket Canada, but ultimately decided to maintain the status quo.
With cricket in particular at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the importance of restoring USA Cricket’s membership was acknowledged.
However, the board decided to postpone any decision regarding the suspended system from September 2025.
The situation surrounding Cricket Canada is still unclear. According to reports, the suspended governing body in June needs to resolve several internal governance issues before reviewing its position, although the exact concerns have not been disclosed.
There is also speculation that US-based Major League Cricket (MLC) could expand by introducing a franchise from Canada. The ICC is monitoring developments before considering any further action.
Meanwhile, the ICC board has not approved any plan to expand the World Test Championship (WTC) to 12 teams, including Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Similarly, reports that One Day Internationals (ODIs) may be reduced from 50 overs to 40 overs have not been confirmed.
Instead, the board received presentations outlining the ICC’s strategic plans for the next business cycle, including plans aimed at restructuring aspects of the global game.