New York [US], June 8 (ANI): Manoj, Operational Head of the USA cricket team, said the changing perspective about cricket after their historic victory over Pakistan ignited new hopes of getting better infrastructure and facilities in the country and added that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will play a very important role in cricket’s growth in the USA.
Earlier on Thursday, the USA produced a historic moment in the history of cricket as they stunned Pakistan with a Super Over triumph in a nail-biting match at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Manoj said an outrageous victory over 2009 T20 World Cup champions Pakistan, is a result of the hard work over the last 4-5 years of the team.
“It wasn’t an easy journey for us. It’s been a work in progress. The US doesn’t have many facilities for cricket in many states. This has been a work in progress… Bringing everyone together seeing the lack of popularity of cricket in the country, was a challenge. This victory is a result of the hard work of the last 4-5 years by the boys… Cricket is a new sport in the US and we lack infrastructure. Right now we dont have many turf wickets to practice. We only have one or two stadiums for the international matches,” Manoj told ANI.
Manoj is hopeful of working with BCCI to host series for men’s, women’s and junior teams in the USA, saying that the Indian cricket governing body has set a “template of how to make a sport popular in the country.”
“Cricket in India is very good. The way BCCI has worked in India is good. I think it’s a template of how to make a sport popular in the country. We wish to work with BCCI closely. If we have to promote cricket in such a big country then BCCI will have a very important role in it. If the Indian team comes and plays here, whether it is at the junior level or women’s cricket, then the kind of crowd that comes to watch India’s matches, US cricket will also get a direct result of it. If BCCI takes the initiative to promote the game in the USA, it will be of great help to cricket in the country,” he added.
Talking about how they gelled up the players — some of whom played for their respective countries before — USA’s Operational Head said that it was challenging to combine players and added that in the series against Bangladesh and Canada, they got to know about their strengths and weaknesses.
Before coming into the T20 WC, USA marked their entry into the big league of international T20 cricket on the back of dominating performances and back-to-back series wins over Canada (4-0) and full ICC member nation Bangladesh (2-1).
“The changing perspective about cricket and our victory over Pakistan gives us hope that we will have better facilities in US cricket and in the coming days, the performance of the US team will be much better… Some players in the team have played cricket in their respective countries before they came to the US. When they got an opportunity here, it was not that challenging… Since all players come from different countries, to gel them as a team, was a challenge. But after they played a series against Bangladesh and Canada ……..as a unit we knew our strengths and weaknesses,” Manoj said.
After humbling the 2009 T20 WC champions in their second outing of the ongoing tournament, the United States now have a tough task to face the world-class batters and bowlers of the Indian team next week at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. (ANI)
