We are very serious about the American market: Anurag Thakur

Anurag Thakur, the incumbent president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opened up about the board’s plans of taking the game and penetrating into the cricket market in the United States of America.

The Indians played a two-match T20I series against the West Indies in Florida. That marked their debut in the United States. Thakur went on to reveal that this part of a five-year plan the board had put in place.

“We are coming out with a five-10 years program. I will be sending a team soon to the United States to look at the potential venues where we can have international matches,” Thakur said while speaking to the reporters here.

“We are very serious about this (American) market. Cricket fans, which are in large numbers in the United States, have been deprived of live matches in the past several years,” Thakur said in response to a question.

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He also went on to reveal that the board took just three weeks to plan the whole ordeal. “It was decided just three weeks in advance. Anyone who visited the Fort Lauderdale matches could see the atmosphere. It was very lively, thanks to the Indian cricket fans,” he added.

“I think, if you could engage more countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and others, we have a large population in this area, but Indians have to play a very important role. Without India, nothing can happen. It has to be India-centric. And we can take it to the next level,” Thakur said referring to the Indian diaspora in the US.

The president of the BCCI also went on to describe a few challenges he faced while attempting to host the matches in Florida. “We have to look at the various challenges which we could face in the region. Because it is not about just matches being played in the region, but how you can have a sustained development of cricket in this area. For us, the US and Canada are very important markets,” Thakur said.

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