Budget Blowout: ICC Faces Financial Woes Over US-leg of T20 World Cup

The US-leg of the T20 World Cup has significantly exceeded its budget of USD 150 million, causing financial concerns for the ICC. Auditing is still ongoing, so exact losses are unconfirmed. Tournament Director Chris Tetley has resigned amidst criticism, and the choice of New York as a venue faced backlash due to poor pitch conditions.

The US-leg of the T20 World Cup has far exceeded its USD 150 million budget, prompting discussions about financial losses at the ICC's Annual Conference in Colombo on July 19. With auditing incomplete and gate receipts still being calculated, exact losses remain unclear.

Concerns have surfaced among prominent board members that the overrun costs could amount to millions. Despite this, some believe the ICC will eventually profit from ticket sales. A source within the ICC Board remarked, "The allocated budget for the US leg has overshot by a big margin. The auditing is still on, so the figure of loss can't be yet confirmed."

The resignation of Tournament Director Chris Tetley has also stirred the pot. Tetley, who decided to step down before the tournament started, faced criticism, but sources claim his resignation is unrelated to the financial debacle. The choice of New York as a venue also drew backlash due to subpar pitch conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)