Bigger than Texas? New home for game in US

GRAND PRAIRIE: Cricket authorities in the United States have unveiled plans to develop a dedicated, worldclass stadium for the sport, creating its own answer to MCG or Lord's deep in the heart of Texas.

The AirHogs Stadium in Grand Prairie, a city between Dallas and Fort Worth, will be transformed into an 8000capacity venue capable of hosting international fixtures and being the home of US cricket.

The project is being led by Major League Cricket — a new franchisebased T20 tournament due to launch in 2022 that could feature highprofile players — in collaboration with national governing body USA Cricket.

It will be the first dedicated cricket venue in the US. Formerly home to a minor league baseball team, it will play host to the new Texas franchise in MLC and become the home or the national men's and women's sides.

The United States is a growing cricketing market with more than 150,000 regular players across the country and 4 million regular viewers of the sport on TV.

Significant progress has been made since USA Cricket was founded three years ago. The men's national side gained oneday international status in 2019 and USA Cricket hopes to become a full International Cricket Council member by 2030. — Reuters