Cricket’s governing body has given the green light for a number of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches to be played in the US as it bids to build the sport in the nation.

Six Twenty20 (T20) fixtures will take place in America in July, although scheduling and ticket information is yet to be announced.

International Cricket Council (ICC) head of global development, Tim Anderson, said the organisation approved CPL’s proposal as “staging high level international cricket in the US is a key part of the strategy”.

“In partnership with the US cricket community, the ICC has recently established a strategic framework for the future development of cricket in the US,” said Anderson. “We see the approval of several CPL matches in the US as a positive step forward for all cricket followers in the US.”

He added that a “number of development activities will take place around the matches” to make sure the exposure to top-class cricketers contributes to a growth in participation.

Damien O’Donohoe, CPL chief executive, said the project has “been in discussion for many months”, and the move would enable the CPL to “open up opportunities for the cricket-hungry American public”.

“The CPL has already had a positive impact in the Caribbean and we are excited about bringing top quality cricket to the US,” added O’Donohoe.

“We are committed to developing the next generation of cricketers and we believe that by exposing the best talent from across the Caribbean and the Americas region in the CPL, we can inspire a new generation of cricketers in the US.”