Qureshi joins USACA presidential race

Florida businessman Mahammad A Qureshi has said he intends to run for president of the USA Cricket Association [USACA] in this year's general elections scheduled to be held on October 15.

"I'm running for president in order to bring credibility to USACA - what should be an esteemed organisation," Qureshi stated in a press release. "Credibility is only established when an organisation demonstrates responsibility and integrity from within. Only then can we gain the confidence of our members and sponsors.

"I'm running for this position because I am committed to the development and expansion of cricket in the United States. I'm running for office to make USACA an effect [effective] yet transparent organisation that earns the respect of its membership, other cricket associations, the ICC, existing and potential sponsors, and, of course, the millions of potential cricket enthusiasts in America."

Qureshi is known in the American cricket community as the former CEO of Cricket Council USA [CCUSA], a private sports and entertainment company responsible for organising a series of Twenty20 tournaments. He resigned from the position last month. Outside of cricket, Qureshi is the president and CEO of MAQ Group, Inc., which owns real estate, gas stations and convenience stores across Florida.

Qureshi has good support from women cricketers after CCUSA organised the first Women's US Cricket Open last October in Lauderhill, Florida. Outside of the USACA Women's National Championship, the CCUSA tournament was one of the few opportunities for women in the USA to play competitive matches against each other.

One of CCUSA's most hyped events was last December's US Cricket Open in Lauderhill. The event promised a plethora of international talent including the Pathan brothers, Yusuf and Irfan, Wavell Hinds, Lendl Simmons, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan as well as a host of other West Indian domestic players.

However, Yusuf had been picked to play for India in an ODI series against New Zealand while the rest of the big names reportedly bailed out on the eve of the tournament after they could not obtain No-Objection Certificates from their home boards due to the fact that the tournament did not receive official sanctioning from USACA.