The United States of America emerged victorious against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024 via a Super Over in a Group A match held in Dallas. Captain Monank Patel played a pivotal role, scoring a half-century, supported by contributions from Andries Gous (35) and Aaron Jones (36*), enabling the hosts to match Pakistan’s score of 159 runs in 20 overs. The match extended to a Super Over, where the USA secured the win. Notably, the USA team included several players of Indian origin, including captain Monank. Among them, Saurabh Netravalkar stood out by conceding just 13 runs and claiming the wicket of Iftikhar Ahmed during Pakistan’s reply in the Super Over. Lets take a look at the India-origin players in America’s T20 World Cup squad:
Monank Patel
Born on May 1, 1993, in Gujarat, Monank Patel began his cricket journey representing the state in various age-group categories, including U16 and U18. However, he later relocated to the United States. Obtaining a green card in 2010, Patel made his move to the USA permanent in 2016. He debuted for the United States national team in 2019, playing his first T20 International against UAE, followed by his ODI debut against Papua New Guinea later that year. Patel, who initially played List-A cricket in 2018, was appointed as the captain of the USA team ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup Americas Qualifiers. With an impressive record, the 31-year-old has amassed 507 runs from 27 T20Is and 1446 runs from 47 ODIs. Additionally, Patel has represented MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC).
Saurabh Netravalkar
Saurabh Netravalkar showcased stellar performance for the USA cricket team during their victory against Pakistan, emerging as a standout player. Originally from Mumbai, Netravalkar was a former captain of the USA side. He previously represented India at the U19 World Cup in 2010 alongside players like KL Rahul. Despite playing domestic cricket for Mumbai, Netravalkar opted to transition to the USA to pursue a career in software engineering at Cornell University. Presently, he is employed at Oracle. In 2023, Netravalkar played for the Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket (MLC).
Nisarg Patel
Similar to Monank, Nisarg Patel hails from Gujarat but relocated to the USA with his family during his teenage years. They have settled in Southern California, and Patel represented the team at the 2006 U19 World Cup. Holding a master’s degree in pharmaceutical science, he also has professional experience in England. Patel made his senior debut for the USA against Canada in 2017 and has since played 41 ODIs and 21 T20Is.
Harmeet Singh
Harmeet Singh, a member of the India squad that clinched the 2012 U19 World Cup under Unmukt Chand’s leadership, was born in Mumbai on September 7, 1992. He represented Tripura in domestic cricket before stepping away from Indian cricket in 2020. Singh relocated to the USA in the following year and made his debut for the national team earlier in 2023 during a T20I against Canada. In 2023, he played for the Seattle Orcas in the Major League Cricket (MLC). Additionally, Singh was part of the Rajasthan Royals’ player roster during the 2013 IPL season.
Milind Kumar
Born in Delhi, Milind Kumar represented his state in the Ranji Trophy, apart from also playing for Sikkim and Tripura. He scored 1331 runs in the 2018-19 with Sikkim, ending as the top-scorer that season. Milind was part of the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru teams in IPL in 2014 and 2019 respectively, although he failed to play a single game.
After retiring from Indian cricket in 2021, he moved to the States. He played for Texas Super Kings in the MLC in 2023, and made his debut for USA earlier this year in a T20I against Canada in April.
Indian-origin players in the USA cricket team played a pivotal role in their victory against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024, showcasing their talent and contributing significantly to the team’s success.