Pakistani-born USA star takes on Jay Shah’s ICC, demands bigger pay

Pakistani-born USA star takes on Jay Shah’s ICC, demands bigger pay: The Associate nations in the 2026 T20 World Cup have played a brilliant brand of cricket. The USA, Nepal, and the Netherlands nearly pulled off an upset in their opening games against India, England, and Pakistan, respectively. Italy, the debutants on Thursday, created history after winning their first game by 10 wickets in the major competition against Nepal.

Amidst these, USA batter Shayan Jahangir has called out the International Cricket Council (ICC) for more funding for Associate teams from the ICC going forward. The Pakistani-born batter spoke in the pre-match conference ahead of the USA's upcoming fixture in the T20 World Cup against the Netherlands in Chennai. He has asked to pay more attention in order to 'nurture' the Associate teams properly.

USA star Shayan Jahangir wants ICC to give exposure

Shayan Jahangir said, in the press conference, "The exposure and the kind of funding that we get from ICC is lacking. I think we've been given the tag of Associate nation, but we are nothing short of a great team. As you have seen in this World Cup, all teams that are tagged Associate nations have put on a show, and they've given a very tough time to all these big teams."

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

"Nepal almost won a game against England. We almost beat India, having them 75 for 6 - again Surya(Kumar Yadav) playing the way he played. But if we had cleansed those moments, we would have beaten the powerhouse of a World Cup team."

He further said, "I would say, we have not been watered down properly. We haven't been nurtured properly. But again, it's all our players who are putting in the hard yards. Without the financial resources, without the infrastructure."

"I think if ICC pays more attention to us and all the Associate nations, you'll see more big games and you'll see all these teams coming and changing their tag from Associate nations to big teams as well."

USA star Shayan Jahangir asked ICC to organise a bilateral series

Shayan Jahangir also asked ICC to arrange bilateral series between the associate nations and the top teams, in the buildup to the tournament, which would always serve as a better opportunity for the smaller nations coming to the major event. He said, "Preparation is very important. And it has a lot to do with the funding as well."

"We don't have the money to have those comps, have those big grounds that we can play on, and I think if we have that funding from ICC, and it's a request from us, personally from me, to really look into it, and if you really nurture us, I'm telling you, there's so much talent in Associate cricket."

There are so many cricketers who are so good- Shayan Jahangir

Shayan Jahangir said, "There are so many cricketers who are so good, but not given the exposure. I think there's this one guy from Nepal, he scored a nine-ball half century [referring to Dipendra Singh Airee]."

He concluded saying, "And if it was at the highest level, he would get recognition all over the world and he's still struggling to play league cricket all over the world. So I think exposure, funding, and also a little push is required and hopefully we'll get it."

Also Read: Hardik Pandya angry at BCCI and pitch curators amid T20 World Cup