SCCA President Joins Lawsuit against USA Cricket Alleging Governance Failures

Los Angeles, CA – The current President of the local Southern California Cricket Association (SCCA), former President of the now-defunct USACA, former interim Chairman of the Board of USA Cricket, former Minor League Cricket USA Governance Chair, and a current Club Director/Board Member of USA Cricket, Atul Rai, has joined a lawsuit against USA Cricket, alleging misgovernance, election manipulation, and unconstitutional removals of directors.

The lawsuit, filed alongside suspended directors Patricia Whittaker, Kuljit Nijjar, and Arjun Gona, seeks the removal of USA Cricket board members, including Venu Pisike, Srini Salver, Anj Balusu, David Haubert, Pintoo Shah, and Nadia Gruny.

Atul Rai previously served as President of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) from 2001 to 2003, when it (USACA) was the recognized national governing body for Cricket in the USA. In 2017, following an extended review, the International Cricket Council (ICC) withdrew recognition from USACA, citing persistent governance challenges, financial concerns, limited development outcomes, and non-compliance with ICC membership requirements, which ultimately led to its expulsion and dissolution. The collapse of USACA resulted in the formation of USA Cricket as a successor organization intended to reset governance structures and chart a new course for the sport nationally. After USACA’s dissolution, Rai joined USA Cricket in 2018 and was later appointed Interim Chairman in 2022, continuing his involvement in U.S. cricket administration during a period of transition and reform.

“For professional cricket to be sustainable in the long term, domestic cricket needs to be strong! A magnificent structure needs a strong foundation for it to last!” – Atul Rai, USA Cricketers

Rai has served as President of SCCA multiple times (4th round currently) owing to SCCA’s bylaws, which do not impose a limit on the number of terms an individual can serve. While the rules state that an executive cannot hold the same position for more than four consecutive years (two terms), they allow re-election after a “cool-off” period. Source: SCCA Bylaws (2018 Copy) : “An Officer may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in one office. After two terms, there shall be a minimum of two years waiting period before he can rerun for the same Officer position.”

SCCA, a long time partner & member to all ICC recognized Cricket governning bodies in USA, and recently ACE, was stripted of its membership from USA Cricket in 2023 for non payment of membership dues. SCCA and ACE PARTNERSHIP, called a win-win by then President of SCCA Mihir Gandhi in 2020 (Former SCCA President Mihir G. is now the Treasurer of SCCA in 2025). This agreement come to a halt in 2020-21. Since then, one can argue that local leadership has not seen eye to eye with MiLC  —  allegedly blocking access to resources, fields, and time slots, locking up Crease Markers, and not allowing permitted groups to use or rent SCCA equipment, as well as not allowing for human resources to work across organizations (ex: Groundsman).

Los Angeles, once a cricket powerhouse, currently doesn’t have any players in the USA Cricket Men’s National Team or emerging talent at the youth level, barring a few. A total of ZERO local SCCA youth made it to the nationals in 2023, held in LA. This is unfolding due to a lack of youth representation within the local league, even as committed local administrators work to hold the ecosystem together. Vinay Kulkarni is listed as the USA Cricket Los Angeles Hub Coordinator 2022-2024.

We, recently, reported that almost all socal cricketers and leagues have been deemed ineligible for voting in the upcoming 2025 elections for non payment of USA Membership dues. In 2023, SCCA President Pradeep Patel requested a discounted rate based on its large player base, but USA Cricket declined and ruled SCCA ineligible for 2023. This decision raises important governance questions, including why one nonprofit would seek a discounted membership arrangement from another, and whether the SCCA membership and general body were adequately informed of a material change in status. Reducing or altering the voting participation of a significant segment of the cricket community is a serious matter, particularly when the election framework itself is not widely viewed as a robust or representative mechanism. The longer-term implications of these local decisions remain to be seen, especially given the role this voting cohort had previously played in broader electoral dynamics, unless new coalitions or structural adjustments emerge.

Over the past five years, the SCCA executive committee has implemented field rental fees for T20 matches that have ranged between $600 and $1,000 per game. This structure has generated substantial revenue over time for MiLC-related matches and activities. For context, current SCCA President, Rai, was the inaugural chairman of the MiLC Governing Council, advocating for local leagues to work with MiLC.

“I was the chair of the Governing Council during the formation of the Minor League. My understanding is that Minor League teams are to work closely with the local cricket leagues and the players to facilitate a smooth operation with MiLC/ACE providing the funding for infrastructure development and other major expenses. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, and there is a disconnect between the local leagues and Minor League teams. The team owners have been heavily burdened financially and operationally!” – Atul Rai, USA Cricketers  Source: USA Cricketers Interview

Court & Venue: Boulder County District Court, Colorado

Filing Date & ID: March 3, 2025; Filing ID: E3BB5C7EDB8CB

Parties Involved: Plaintiffs: BK Atul Rai, Patricia Whittaker, Kuljit-Singh Nijjar, and Arjun Rao Oona – filing in both their individual capacities and derivatively on behalf of USA Cricket, Inc. (a Colorado nonprofit corporation). Defendants: USA Cricket directors Venu Pisike, Anj Balusu, David Haubert, Pintoo Shah, Nadia Oruny, and Srini Salver, plus USA Cricket, Inc.

Key Claims and Allegations

Breach of Fiduciary and Statutory Duties: Plaintiffs allege that the defendant directors abused their positions by failing to act in the best interests of USA Cricket. They claim the directors violated both common law fiduciary duties and statutory duties under the Colorado Revised Nonprofit Corporation Act by engaging in actions that harmed the organization’s mission.

Judicial Removal of Directors: Plaintiffs seek the removal of the defendant directors, arguing that their conduct — including manipulation of the membership registration system, improper removal of directors, and conflict of interest (especially involving Defendant Pisike) — has compromised USA Cricket’s governance. They contend that these actions jeopardize USA Cricket’s efforts to qualify as the National Governing Body for cricket in the U.S. and to maintain membership in the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Declaratory Judgment: The complaint asks the court to declare that the removal of certain directors (such as Patricia Whittaker, Nijjar, and Oona) was done in violation of USA Cricket’s Constitution and Colorado law, rendering those removals null and void.

Background and Context

Purpose of USA Cricket: USA Cricket was established in 2017 with the goal of positioning itself as the candidate for the National Governing Body (NGB) for cricket in the United States—a role that became especially significant after cricket was added to the LA 2028 Olympic Games program.

Governance Concerns: The organization has been under scrutiny by both the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the ICC for failing to meet the rigorous governance standards required for NGB certification. Plaintiffs argue that the defendant directors’ actions — including unauthorized closures of membership registration portals, retroactive voiding of memberships, and bypassing proper removal procedures — have damaged USA Cricket’s standing and its ability to attain NGB certification.

Conflict of Interest: A significant concern is raised over Defendant Pisike’s conduct. Not only did he file complaints against other directors, but he also managed board processes without recusal — allegedly using his personal resources to record meetings and suppress dissent, thereby deepening the governance crisis.

Relief Sought

Removal of Defendant Directors: Plaintiffs request that the court order the immediate removal of the defendant directors and bar them from holding any office within USA Cricket for five years.

Monetary Damages and Injunctive Relief: They seek damages (to be determined at trial) along with injunctive and declaratory relief to correct the governance issues and restore USA Cricket’s path to certification as an NGB.

Trial by Jury: The complaint concludes with a demand for a trial by jury on all issues that can be tried by jury.

This summary outlines the plaintiffs’ claims that mismanagement and conflicts of interest among USA Cricket’s directors have jeopardized the organization’s mission and legal standing, and it sets out the relief they seek to remedy these issue