A last minute decision to stage two Twenty20 matches between the West Indies and India in Florida, USA, recently has raked in US$11.2 million for the Board of Cricket in India (BCCI).
Sources say the matches were a financial success with some US$11.2 million being generated from media rights and gate receipts.
Although cricket in the Americas falls under the auspices of the WICB, it was the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which was given permission by the WICB to host the matches, despite the fact that one of the two matches was affected by rain, the BCCI was still able to make a profit.
Cricket interest in the United States, and especially Florida area picked up during the matches and both games were sold out with attendances over 10,000 patrons.
West Indies won the two-match series 1-0 after rain washed out the second game halfway.
The BCCI has also been given the green light to state Twenty20 matches in Florida next year.
Cricket officials say this agreement for India to host the Florida matches has gone a long way in healing the acrimony between the two cricketing nations following the 2014 debacle, which saw the West Indies aborting a tour of India with several matches still to be played.
The fiasco left the WICB with a debt of US$41.97 million and it took months of discussions and sensitive negotiations before the WICB and the BCCI were able to arrive at a workable solution.
