"Hosting the T20 World Cup will bring a lot of attention to cricket in USA" - United States vice-captain Aaron Jones
The United States of America (USA) and the West Indies will together be hosting the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup. For a country like the US where cricket is not yet a famous sport, this event could well be the paradigm shift that the game needs in one of the superpowers of the world.
US cricket team vice-captain Aaron Jones has expressed his thoughts on how co-hosting the T20 World Cup would change the perception of the game in the States. The 27-year-old feels it will impart a lot of knowledge about the game to the local audience.
The #Champions of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier are USA!!!
🏆The #Champions of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier are USA!!!
#WeAreUSACricket🇺🇸 https://t.co/atXd69g91T
Speaking to Sportskeeda in an exclusive chat, here's what Aaron Jones had to say about USA co-hosting the showpiece event in 2024:
"I definitely think hosting the T20 World Cup will bring a lot of attention to cricket in USA. I feel a lot of people in the USA don't really have much knowledge about cricket. But the World Cup, biggest stage in cricket, will definitely bring a lot of knowledge of the game. Even if they don't show a lot of interest in the beginning, they are gonna watch it for sure."
"USA Cricket welcomes the ICC Board decision today to award automatic qualification to the co-hosts of #T20WorldCup 2024, with USA & @WindiesCricket guaranteed places in the expanded event that will see 20 teams participating in it for the first time."
usacricket.org/team-usa-men/i…
Grassroot cricket will develop really soon: United States captain Monank Patel
Captain Monank Patel also spoke about how the T20 World Cup in 2024 would be a catalyst in developing the game in the United States. He also shared how local schools are trying to inculcate age-group cricket, saying:
"I think the grassroots in the US will develop really soon. If I talk schooling wise, they are basically trying to get cricket in the primary or secondary level. So I feel cricket is going to grow and people are going to take interest very soon."
The United States cricket team could even qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup Down Under if they continue their hot run of form in the qualifiers.