By Amir Khan and Haider Abbas
Exciting times are ahead for U.S. cricket fans as the state of California is set to host the men’s 50-overs National Championship from November 11 to 15. The pitches for the four-day championship are being prepared in Sepulveda Basin Cricket Fields (Woodley Park), in Van Nuys.
The USAC Senior Men’s National Championship offers young cricketers a significant opportunity to make their mark and pursue a future on the national team. The tournament serves as a key identification and selection process, where emerging players can showcase their talent in front of the selection committee and fans alike. With each team playing four matches, participants have ample chances to demonstrate their cricketing skills, making this event a critical step toward advancing to the global stage.
Format and Schedule
A total of eight teams will be participating in the tournament. The teams will be divided into two groups of four each, with each team playing one match against each of the three teams in their groups. After the conclusion of the group stage, the top-ranked team in each group will fight for the championship title on the 15th of November. The remaining teams will play against the same ranked team in the opposite group i.e. the 2nd ranked team in group A will play against the 2nd ranked team in group B and so on.
The first day i.e. 11 November is reserved for the fitness tests, including a yoyo test, to ensure that all players participating are physically fit. The matches will commence from November 12th to 15th.
Groups and Squads
There will be two groups, each comprising four teams. The groups are:
• Group 1: Mid Atlantic, West, East, Blue
• Group 2: Southwest, South, Midwest, Red
All the teams have announced their squads, along with the head coaches and managers, with each team having a squad of 14 players. Additionally, U.S. cricket has also announced the match officials of the tournament.
The matches of the National Championship will be streamed online by U.S. Cricket, to increase accessibility for a sport that is the second most watched in the world with with over 2 billion fans.
