On November 16th 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the host nations for all major limited over ICC tournaments from 2024 to 2031. With most of the host countries being part of the usual list (Australia, England and India), there were a few names thrown up that were sure to raise eyebrows. In February of 2025, Pakistan is set to host the Men’s Champions Trophy. This would be their first ICC tournament as host since hosting the World Cup alongside India and Sri Lanka back in 1996. After that, in 2027, Namibia is set to host the 50 over Cricket World Cup along with Zimbabwe and South Africa.
But the most recent surprise was USA hosting the 2024 T20 World Cup alongside the West Indies. This will easily be the biggest cricketing event in the USA’s history as they will compete against the world’s best. USA and West Indies receive automatic qualification as they are host nations. This will also encourage the growth of cricket as a sport for the USA which they have been wanting to do for many years now. The highest level of cricket played right now in the USA is still only minor-league level only in T20 format. Most of the USA cricket team comprises of players who are from test playing nations or have parents from such nations but are USA citizens. USA has tried to improve interest in cricket by broadcasting world tournaments like IPL and the T20 World Cup but it has not worked too well. This tournament in June 2024 could be the turning point for USA’s cricket dreams with matches being played in their country they will be broadcast at local times allowing the public to engage with the sport.
Most of the major cricketing nations are geographical far away from North America, this causes trouble to American viewers, mainly because of time differences. A regular IPL game starts at 7:30 pm IST which is 10 am in New York City, most people would be at work or busy at this point in the day, kids would be attending school and unable to watch these matches even if they wanted to. With these time zone problems and lack of interest, most broadcasters are unwilling to pick up the cricket tournaments to showcase in the USA. A major ICC T20 event held in the USA is a big solution to all of these existing hurdles that they have been struggling with. Although this does not guarantee people would be interested in cricket straight away, it guarantees to start a conversation and gain media traction for sure.
On the flip side of things, the Indian sub-continent is known to provide the highest numbers in viewership for cricket matches and tournaments due to sheer population superiority but also a vested interest in the sport itself. So if a T20 World Cup game starts at 7:30 pm EST it would be 5:00 am in India! This could massively affect viewership and subsequently affect sponsorship deals for broadcasters. A 5 am start means the match will only run into the morning and by the time most people wake up and get to work/school the match has probably been played out.
Although there are some pros and some cons for everyone, most of the decisions around hosting major tournaments in newer countries have been welcomed by fans Maybe the purists would be frustrated with watching a cricket match at 5 am in the morning, but it is only fair that other nations get a chance to host these wonderful spectacles of sporting excellence once in a while.
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