USA batter Shayan Jahangir has called on the International Cricket Council to increase funding and exposure for Associate Nations as his team prepares for a must-win T20 World Cup clash against the Netherlands in Chennai. The 31-year-old feels that emerging cricket countries are demonstrating their value on the world stage, but they lack the means to realize their potential.
Speaking ahead of the crucial Group A fixture, Jahangir noted how the Associate teams have continued to challenge the traditional powerhouses of cricket during the 2026 T20 World Cup, but still have vastly fewer resources than Full Member nations.
Associate Nations Proving Their Worth on World Stage
“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 the teams that are tagged Associate Nations have put on a show, and they’ve given a very tough time to all these big teams,” Jahangir said at the pre-match press conference.
The tournament has indeed been defined by spirited performances from teams outside cricket’s elite circle. Nepal came agonisingly close to defeating England at Wankhede, backed by passionate home support. The Netherlands narrowly missed an early upset against Pakistan, while debutants Italy stunned Nepal to claim their maiden T20 World Cup victory.
During the recent match against India, the USA themselves gave defending champions India a major scare in Mumbai, reducing them to 75 for 6 before Suryakumar Yadav’s counter-attack turned the tide. The Americans entered the tournament in a challenging situation, having not played a T20I since April 2025 because their governing body, the ICC, had suspended them, disrupting preparations.
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Funding Gap Hampering Development
Jahangir pointed to the stark disparity in preparation opportunities between Full Member and Associate nations. While India recently hosted New Zealand and Australia toured Pakistan before the World Cup, Associate teams lack access to such high-quality bilateral series and infrastructure.
“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 the 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,” he explained.
The USA batter cited Nepal allrounder Dipendra Singh Airee, who holds the record for the fastest T20I fifty, as evidence of how Associate talent often goes unrecognised despite extraordinary achievements.
“There’s this one guy from Nepal, he scored a nine-ball half century. 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.”
Jahangir’s comments echo recent calls from former players, including Aakash Chopra and Yuvraj Singh, who have praised the performances of teams like Nepal and Italy while advocating for greater support.
The USA now faces the Netherlands on February 13 in a match that could determine their World Cup fate. Despite their promising displays, they are still searching for their first win of the tournament as they look to translate potential into points.
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