Ian Chappell feels USA qualifying for Super 8s in T20 World Cup 2024 ‘not enough’ to promote cricket in country-Selambe

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels USA qualifying to the Super 8 stages of the T20 World Cup 2024 isn’t enough to promote the game in the country as they need to work on their below par pitches. Notably, the surfaces in USA have come under the scanner for being extremely slow as batters found run scoring difficult and scores of 110-120 became match winning scores.Reflecting on the pitches in the USA, Chappell highlighted their reputation for providing below par surfaces recalling a series between India A and Australia A in Los Angeles played in 1999. The Australian great also mentioned that star players VVS Laxman and Adam Gilchrist captained the respective sides.T20 World Cup Coverage | Points Table | T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule | Player Stats”The USA’s reputation for providing dodgy pitches isn’t a recent one. In September 1999, I covered an India A vs Australia A five-match series in Los Angeles, where the respective skippers were VVS Laxman and Adam Gilchrist, both of whom went on to enjoy illustrious international careers,” wrote Chappell in his Column for ESPNCricinfo.Further ahead in his column, Chappell described pitches to be ‘ropey’ on that occasion as well and said that after USA’s qualification to the Super 8s, they shouldn’t be seen as a viable cricket nation due to their unsettled administration.”The pitches on that occasion could only be described as “ropey”, especially when genuine pacemen like Brett Lee operated. Dodgy pitches were accepted with a shrug of the shoulders in 1999 but, with the USA team qualifying for the Super Eight and being promoted as a viable cricket nation, this is not good enough. Mind you, USA cricket has long been wracked by organisational turmoil and this could be yet another example of the chaos that exists among their administration,” he added.USA need to improve their administration and pitches: ChappellThe 80-year-old said that if the nation wants to promote the game they need to improve their administration and pitches.“If cricket wants to make headway in the USA it has to vastly improve the administration and their pitches, while also convincing locally born players it’s a game worth playing,” he concluded.Meanwhile, the USA have sealed their spot in Group 2 of Super 8s after convincing victories over Pakistan and Canada. A washout against Ireland in their last fixture helped them advance to the next stage with five points from three matches. The Monank Patel-led side have been out alongside England, West Indies and South Africa.Published By: Rishabh BeniwalPublished On: Jun 16, 2024