The highly successful crowd pulling T20I match in Florida, the USA between India and West Indies encouraged BCCI to consider a long term plan of hosting more matches at the potential market in the United States, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur.

“We are coming out with a 5-10 year programme. I will be sending a team to the US soon to look at potential venues where we can have international matches,” Thakur said.

The Indian cricket supporters cheer their team at the Fort Lauderdale Stadium in Florida.

President Anurag Thakur was present with a team of administrators who met their USA counterpart.

“We are very serious about this (American) market. A large number of cricket fans in the US have been deprived of live matches in the past several years,” Thakur said.

Referring to the recently held T20 matches between India and West Indies in Florida.

Referring to the recently held T20 matches between India and West Indies in Florida. Thakur said the experiment was very successful, “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 large Indian diaspora in the US.

“We have to look at the various challenges which we could face in the region. It’s not just about matches being played here, but also how you can have sustained the development of cricket in this area. The US and Canada are very important markets for us,” Thakur said.