ICC Bans USA’s National Cricket League for Rule Violations; Linked to Akram, Tendulkar
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned the USA’s National Cricket League (NCL). ICC informed USA Cricket (USAC) via a letter about its decision not to approve future editions of the league. The letter highlighted violations of playing XI regulations.
Last NCL Season and Highlights
The last season of the NCL was held from October 4 to October 14. Under the captaincy of Robin Uthappa, the Chicago CC defeated the Atlanta Kings by 43 runs to claim the title. The trophy was presented by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
What Rules Were Violated?
According to ICC rules, every team’s playing XI must include at least seven American players. However, several matches featured six or seven foreign players on the field.
The league used drop-in pitches of very poor quality. The pitches were so bad that Wahab Riaz and Tymal Mills resorted to spin bowling to avoid injuring the batters.
League officials violated US immigration laws to accommodate foreign players. For sports-category visas in the USA, a minimum expenditure of $200,000 is required for six teams. To cut costs, several players entered without proper sports visas.
Tendulkar, Gavaskar, and Akram’s Association with the League
The NCL had appointed former cricketers like Wasim Akram and Vivian Richards as brand ambassadors. Its ownership group included cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.
