ICC consider three new member applications from Africa

In the coming months of this year, three African nations will submit an application to become associate members of the International Cricket Council.

Prior to the deadline of December, Burkinabe, Mauritius, and Burundi will all submit the necessary paperwork to the ICC’s membership committee.

The trio’s participation in this year’s ICC Annual General Meeting was anticipated by the governing body, according to BBC Sport.

Due to the ICC’s various administrative concerns, none of the three countries were able to advance with their applications.

After receiving Associate status from Zambia and Timor-Leste, the ICC increased its total number of members to 110 at the AGM last weekend in Singapore.

Following their AGM, the ICC stated that USA Cricket would “main on notice” due to ongoing concerns about membership compliance.

The ICC’s suspension of USA cricket would have had a significant impact on the country’s men’s and women’s cricket teams, which would have led to a decrease in central funding and a suspension of both teams.

According to evidence from BBC Sport, USA Cricket has addressed five of the eight governance, finance, and administration issues that the ICC has raised.

The ICC has chosen to give USA Cricket more time to resolve any remaining issues with the caveat that the board of the world’s governing body “reserve the right to take such actions as it deems appropriate.”

Requiring the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s (UGG) status is one of the key issues that Cricket USA are under pressure to address.

Cricket will be playing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after a 128-year absence, requiring NGB status.

In a statement from the ICC, “USA Cricket is required to implement comprehensive governance reforms, including but not limited to holding free and fair elections within three months.”

At the ICC’s 2024 AGM in Sri Lanka, USA Cricket was first given a notice for “non-compliance with ICC membership criteria.”