Colombo: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Monday the formation of a three-member committee tasked with "reviewing the execution" of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies last month.


This committee includes former New Zealand cricketer Roger Twose and directors Lawson Naidoo and Imran Khwaja, who serves as the ICC deputy chair.


"The ICC Board has confirmed a review into the execution of the ICC T20 World Cup," an ICC release stated. "This review will be conducted by directors Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo, and Imran Khwaja, who will report their findings to the Board later this year."


It has been reported that the ICC faced losses exceeding USD 20 million due to organizing matches in New York, Florida, and Dallas.


The budget allocated for the US portion of the tournament was approximately $150 million, but it significantly exceeded this amount, raising concerns among key board members of the ICC.


Issues such as substandard drop-in pitches, ticketing problems, and logistical challenges contributed to the ICC's difficulties. Additionally, scrutiny over how various tenders were managed has raised further issues.


The committee is also expected to thoroughly investigate the roles of some senior ICC executives. Notably, head of events Chris Tetley has already resigned, citing the strain of managing an ICC flagship event every year as the official reason.


USA, Chile Given 1 Year to Comply


The governing body for cricket in the United States, known as USAC, has been formally put on notice and given 12 months to meet the ICC’s Associate Membership criteria.


According to the ICC’s criteria, USAC has failed in two areas: governance and administrative/executive structure.


It has been revealed that USAC has not met the standards set by the USA Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which is essential for recognition as the National Governing Body (NGB) for the Los Angeles Games in 2028, where cricket will be a medal event.


If USAC does not comply with USOPC guidelines, the LA Games organizers may have to de-recognize USAC and establish a new NGB.


Additionally, the non-appointment of a CEO, which is required for any cricket board, is another reason for the notice.


"USA Cricket and Cricket Chile have been formally notified and given 12 months to rectify their non-compliance with ICC Membership Criteria," the release stated. "Neither member currently has an adequate governance and administrative structure."


The ICC Board has decided to set up a Normalisation Committee, comprising Board and Management representatives, to oversee and monitor USAC’s compliance. The ICC Board reserves the right to suspend or expel USAC for continued non-compliance.

Cricketing Decisions


The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) confirmed the allocation of eight regional qualifying spots for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Two teams will qualify from Africa and Europe, one from the Americas, and three from a combined Asia and EAP regional final.


In alignment with its commitment to equity across men's and women’s cricket, the ICC also announced the expansion of the women’s T20 World Cup in 2030 from 12 to 16 teams.


The cut-off date for qualification for the 2026 women’s T20 World Cup qualifier has been set for October 31, 2024.


Additionally, the CEC approved the appointment of Paul Reiffel to the Cricket Committee as the Elite Panel representative.