Mr Alan Isaac: “For cricket to be embraced alongside Indianapolis’ mainstream American sporting institutions gives us great confidence that our sport has a real future in the USA”
ICC President Mr Alan Isaac on Wednesday completed a tour of Indianapolis as part of the ICC’s continued commitment to the growth and development of cricket in the United States of America (USA).
The Indianapolis World Sports Park will be located on the site of Post Road Community Park. This 40-acre footprint will be transformed into a modular complex designed for international-level tournaments as well as amenities to serve the local community. Cricket, Lacrosse, Hurling, Rugby, and International Basketball are some of the key sports the park will accommodate.
The visit comes ahead of the USA’s participation in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates from 15-30 November. The top six sides from the 16-team tournament will progress to the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014, which will be staged from 16 March to 6 April.
The City of Indianapolis has recently committed US$6 million to the development of a World Sports Park, which will include two cricket grounds. The Indianapolis World Sports Park will host the USA Cricket Association’s (USACA) National Championships in August 2014.
Mr Isaac’s visit included attendance at an Emerging Sports Development Forum, which involved national governing bodies, youth sports and pro sports and focused on cultivating emerging sports in the USA, including cricket. Tours of the Indianapolis World Sports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts) also took place.
Reflecting on the tour, Mr Isaac said: “Indianapolis is a major US sports hub, with the Indy 500 (motorsport), Indianapolis Colts (NFL), Indiana Pacers (NBA) and the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) all based in the city.
“Therefore, for cricket to have been embraced alongside such mainstream American sporting institutions gives us great confidence that our sport has a real future in the USA.”
The Mayor of Indianapolis, Mr Greg Ballard, thanked the ICC President for visiting Indianapolis, saying: “Sports have a unique ability to bring people together, and cricket – one of the world’s most popular sports – has a place in this sports town. It was an honor to welcome Mr. Isaac to Indianapolis this week and to showcase our genuine, Hoosier hospitality.”
Mr Isaac was accompanied by ICC’s Global Development Manager, Tim Anderson, as well as USACA Chief Executive Officer Darren Beazley and Board Members Brian Walters and Rafey Syed.
Mr Isaac and Mr Anderson will now proceed to Barbados, where they will watch Saturday’s final of the women’s T20I tri-series featuring the host, West Indies, and England, before attending the ICC Women’s Committee meeting that will take place on Sunday 27 October.
