USA's National Cricket League has been banned by the ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a ban on the United States National Cricket League (NCL). This decision comes one year after the establishment of stringent guidelines for the approval of T20 and T10 leagues worldwide. The ICC has ordered the suspension of the NCL for violating the rules concerning playing elevens.

This move marks a significant instance of the ICC's tough stance. In a letter sent to the United States Cricket (USAC), the governing body of cricket has informed them of their decision to not approve the league.

The reasons for the ban, as outlined in the letter, include violations of the fielding regulations for associate players and breaches of restrictions in the pre-event guidelines set by NCL authorities. Furthermore, the rule regarding the playing eleven was ignored when multiple foreign players, between six to seven, were fielded in a single match. The ICC has also flagged issues related to the NCL’s 'On and Off the Pitch' conduct.

Additional reasons for the ban include poor quality wickets at pop-up venues, where fast bowlers such as Wahab Riaz and Tymal Mills were forced to bowl spin to prevent batter injuries. According to the Indian cricket website Cricbuzz, the NCL also faced potential violations related to the management of foreign players and U.S. immigration laws.

Typically, organizing a cricket tournament with around six teams in the U.S. requires about $200,000 for sponsoring sports category visas. However, Cricbuzz confirmed that not all players entered the U.S. with valid sports visas for participation in the tournament. Due to these issues, the ICC has decided not to approve future editions of the NCL.