In a move aimed at promoting cricket in the United States, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced that India-West Indies Twenty20 International series will be held in America.
Team India will now take on West Indies in the two-match series in Central Broward Regional Park, at Fort Lauderdale in Florida on August 27 and 28.
Stating the reason behind this move, BCCI president Anurag Thakur said the matches will be played in the US to reach out to new markets and audiences and also provide a great opportunity for the cricket fans in America to watch the two champion sides in action.
"As part of our continuous efforts to reach out to new markets and audiences, I am very happy to announce that Team India will play two T20Is against the current world champions West Indies in the United States. This will be a great opportunity for the cricket fans in America to watch the two champion sides in action. This will be developed into an annual cricketing event in the United States,” Thakur said.
Ajay Shirke, BCCI secretary, said: “This initiative is path-breaking in terms of the expansion of our great sport. It is our endeavour to make every possible effort to connect with fans in different parts of the world.”
Heaping praise over this initiative by the BCCI, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Whycliffe ‘Dave' Cameron called it a great way to develop cricket in the US.
“This will be a great initiative in our continued efforts to develop cricket in the Americas (North and South America) a very important market,” Cameron said.
