USA Team : In the 2024 T20 World Cup, the USA team delivered the biggest surprise by reaching the Super-8 stage. Over the past few years, the USA team has made strong strides in the cricket world, and Indian-origin players have been instrumental in transforming USA cricket.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was spectacularly co-hosted by the dynamic duo of the United States and the West Indies. Under the visionary leadership of Rohit Sharma, the unstoppable Indian team clinched the title, defeating South Africa by a nail-biting 7 runs on June 29 at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados. This historic win marked India’s triumphant second T20 World Cup victory, the first being in 2007 under the legendary MS Dhoni. Among the many highlights was Team USA’s astounding performance, including a thrilling Super Over victory against Pakistan, a former champion, knocking them out of the Super-8 and showcasing the USA’s meteoric rise in the world of cricket.
Highlights
USA cricket : Here’s a look at five key Indian-origin players who are making a mark in USA cricket:
Milind Kumar
Known for his outstanding domestic record in India, 33-year-old Milind Kumar scored 1,331 runs at an average of 121 in the 2018-19 Ranji season. He later moved to the USA for better opportunities and made his T20 International debut for the USA against Canada. Milind has scored 174 runs and taken three wickets in 4 ODIs and 6 T20s for the USA.
Smit Patel
Aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Smit Patel, known for his vital 62-run innings in the 2012 U19 World Cup final, has represented Gujarat, Tripura, and Baroda. He moved to the USA in 2020, where he continued playing domestic cricket. Patel has scored 174 runs, including two half-centuries, in 4 ODIs for the USA, boasting an average of 43.50.
Unmukt Chand
Although yet to make his debut for the USA, Unmukt Chand, the 2012 U19 World Cup-winning captain, has joined the USA cricket circuit. He continues to play domestic cricket and is building his reputation as a skilled batsman in the USA league structure.
Harmeet Singh
A left-arm spinner from the 2012 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, Harmeet Singh was once likened to Bishan Singh Bedi. After being overlooked in Indian domestic cricket, Harmeet moved to the USA in 2020. Since then, he has played 4 ODIs and 16 T20Is, claiming five ODI wickets and 14 T20 wickets, along with scoring 210 runs in international cricket.
Saurabh Netravalkar : He was once in the Indian Under-19 team, how did he reach the USA team now
Saurabh Netravalkar was born on October 16, 1991, in Mumbai and grew up in Malad, where he began playing cricket at the young age of 10.
He first gained attention during the 2008-09 season, taking 30 wickets in six matches in the Cooch Behar Trophy U-19 cricket tournament. Mumbai has traditionally been known for producing top-notch batsmen, so a young fast bowler’s impressive performance quickly stood out.
A naturally tall, lean, left-arm pacer, Saurabh soon made a name for himself. In 2010, he took eight wickets in a triangular series in South Africa, followed by nine wickets in the Under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand. Saurabh played alongside future stars like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, and Jaydev Unadkat, who eventually reached the Indian national team; however, Saurabh’s journey diverged.
Alongside cricket, Saurabh excelled academically, earning an engineering degree from Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai, from 2009 to 2013.
“In 2013, I got an engineering job in Pune, but I decided to dedicate two more years solely to cricket, hoping to secure a spot on the Mumbai team,” he recalls. “I made my debut for the Mumbai Ranji team that same year.”
Despite his dedication, intense competition made it hard for Saurabh to secure a permanent spot in the playing eleven, and he missed out on an IPL opportunity as well.
Left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar was the star of USA’s victory over Pakistan, restricting them from scoring 19 runs in the Super Over. Netravalkar, who also dismissed Indian stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, began his cricket journey in Mumbai. A software engineer by profession, he has represented the USA in 48 ODIs and 33 T20 matches, taking 73 ODI wickets and 33 T20 wickets.
Other notable Indian-origin players, including Nisarg Patel, JC Singh, Nitish Kumar, Jaskaran Malhotra, and Sunny Sohal, have also represented the USA internationally. With this wealth of talent, USA cricket is quickly establishing itself on the global stage, largely due to the dedication and skill of Indian-origin players.
Other notable Indian-origin players, including Nisarg Patel, JC Singh, Nitish Kumar, Jaskaran Malhotra, and Sunny Sohal, have also represented the USA internationally. With this wealth of talent, USA cricket is quickly establishing itself on the global stage, largely due to the dedication and skill of Indian-origin players.
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