USA Cricket Faces Leadership Crisis

The American cricket scene is in chaos. Following the resignation of league director Anj Balusu, USA Cricket has split into factions and come under pressure from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Now the federation must decide – either save the organization through reforms or shut it down via bankruptcy. The outcome will determine whether cricket in the U.S. survives or fades away again.

What Happened to USA Cricket

Cricket has never been a mainstream sport in the U.S., but USA Cricket was supposed to unite the scattered leagues, build a strong relationship with the ICC and create a sustainable competition system.

But internal rifts and poor management crushed those ambitions. Instead of becoming a central hub, American cricket turned into a divided battlefield (with one side pushing for reform and the other ready to pull the plug completely). The collapse can be traced through several key events:

• ICC suspended USA Cricket’s membership due to governance violations.
• Regional leagues accused the board of shady accounting and poor transparency.
• Anj Balusu was recalled and removed from his position.
• The board became deadlocked (a 4-4 split), blocking any meaningful progress.
• Talks of bankruptcy began to surface.

After that, the federation basically hit pause. Every decision sparked more drama, meetings turned into shouting matches, and both players and partners began to doubt whether the organization could ever get back on track.

For context, USA Cricket was founded in 2017 after the old federation, USACA, got kicked out of the ICC. In 2019, ICC officially recognized USA Cricket as its 105th associate member. The headquarters are based in Dallas, Texas.

Who Is Anj Balusu?

For several years, Anj Balusu served as USA Cricket’s League Director. He was known as a hands-on figure deeply involved in growing local cricket, especially in Atlanta, where he helped organize tournaments and bring player communities together. Over time, he became a key player in the federation and a close ally of board chair Venu Pisike.

But that alliance eventually backfired. Regional leagues accused Balusu of backing decisions that tightened the chairman’s grip on power while sidelining the leagues themselves.

Critics also blamed him for a lack of financial transparency and for brushing off ICC’s demands for governance reforms. After months of tension, six out of nine leagues voted to remove him, which completely shifted the balance of power inside the board.

How the Crisis Is Impacting the Federation

The chaos inside USA Cricket is now spilling into its day-to-day operations. Board meetings often end with no decisions, and most key initiatives are frozen. On top of that, the federation has filed for legal reorganization – a move that temporarily shields it from creditors but also exposes its inability to govern effectively.

The breakup with ACE, the company that runs Major League Cricket (MLC), made things even worse. Partners are now demanding compensation, several projects have been paused, and the federation stopped hosting international matches for the national team. Players with fixed contracts are left wondering if their paychecks will even show up.

In short, USA Cricket is standing on shaky ground. Every move now carries – not just for the executives, but for players, leagues, and the future of the sport in America. The issue isn’t only about covering debts or shuffling power; it’s about whether anyone still trusts the system that’s supposed to represent U.S. cricket.