India and West Indies are planning to play a one-day series later this year in the United States. Like the substitute system, ICC comes up with such bizarre ideas occasionally.
The move is vigorously supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian board will be fund the entire series. It seems BCCI is targeting the large South Asian population in the United States but they are announcing it as a part of global expansion. Global expansion can only take place if the number one player in globe is included. True. But.

United States of America has one the strangest sports culture. Football, the most popular world in the game, is still way behind baseball, American football and basketball. Americans care more about the World Series and the Super Bowl than Fifa World Cup even though United States is participating in Fifa 2006. I feel proud for the culture which relishes in their traditional games rather than following the games of others just for the sake that it is popular.

I hope ICC has conducted a survey among the United States population to estimate that at least the people there know that such a game exists on the earth. If they plan to conduct a survey, please make sure to mention the word ‘sports’ in survey otherwise the people might mistake it for cricket – the insect.

United States did have a history of cricket during the 19th century but was blown away by baseball. Cricket was played in New York, Boston and other parts where the people from Britain initially settled. (Cricket even today is still mostly played in the commonwealth countries). The arrival of baseball had completely obliterated the game in the 20th century.

So, ICC and BCCI is basically try to replant cricket in the United States. The greatest challenge for cricket in United States will be its unique sports culture.