USA Cricket’s (USAC) troubles have escalated further after the suspension handed by the ICC last week. In a new twist, six of the nine member leagues have voted to remove League Director Anj Balusu. The move reflects growing frustration within the American cricket fraternity over long-standing unrest in the boardroom . The Southern California Cricket Association, Northern California Cricket Association, Dallas Cricket League, Washington Cricket League, Oregon Cricket League, and New Jersey Softball Cricket League all signed a petition demanding Balusu’s exit. A recall vote followed soon after, and the ICC has been informed of the development, as per a Cricbuzz report. Balusu, seen as a close ally of USAC chairman Venu Pisike, was part of the group that resisted ICC Chairman Jay Shah’s request for the board’s collective resignation during a July meeting in Los Angeles. The ouster has now reduced Pisike’s bloc to four members, leaving the board split evenly at 4–4. This deadlock could stall critical decisions, including a looming vote on whether the organisation should declare bankruptcy. According to Cricbuzz, Pisike has already called a single-agenda board meeting for September 30 to discuss filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If approved, USAC would be liquidated and cease to exist as a legal entity. It is understood that the move is seen as premature, pointing out that USAC still has around USD 250,000 in its accounts. Some stakeholders see the bankruptcy threat as a tactic to pressure the ICC into negotiations. The timing is particularly important. The ICC and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) have both urged all directors to step down and make way for independent governance reforms. With Balusu’s removal, many leagues believe the call for resignations is stronger than ever. The fallout from this crisis is already hurting players. National cricketers, many of whom are on retainers of about USD 60,000 a year, now face uncertainty. Bankruptcy would put those contracts at risk and leave players without financial security months before the Men’s U19 World Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Poll
Do you think the removal of League Director Anj Balusu is justified?
On the field too, the repercussions are clear. USA have not played a T20I against a Full Member side since hosting the T20 World Cup more than 15 months ago. As per Cricbuzz, the growing consensus among stakeholders is simple – the current board should step aside and allow reforms to take hold before the sport in the country suffers irreparable damage.
