Captain: Monak Patel
Games: Canada (June 2), Pakistan (June 6), India (June 12), Ireland (June 14)
Best T20 World Cup result: Debut tournament
For most of the last century, the cricket world has tried to rekindle the love for the game that was first officially played in New York City in the 19th century.
Cricket began in the United States earlier than in any other part of the world, according to archived references.
Now the sport is returning to the US, handing it co-hosting rights to the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Lined up under the country’s Stars and Stripes flag will be 15 men who call the U.S. home but come from diverse backgrounds. Eleven of the 15 belong to the bustling South Asian community of Indian and Pakistani heritage.
The two South Asian nations may be fierce rivals, but the acrimony disappears when the players gather in the Team USA locker room.
“The respect is evident,” US coach Stuart Law told Al Jazeera.
“They [players] they don’t represent India or Pakistan – or the West Indies or South Africa – they’re all fighting for the stars and stripes and just want to put on a good show for the American people,” Law said.
“We’re all from different backgrounds and cultures, but you wouldn’t know it,” he said.
The US will be led by Indian-born Monank Patel, while its prominent leader is Pakistan-born Ali Khan. The team also features former New Zealand star Corey Anderson, known for his powerful batting and record-breaking innings in 2014, when he set a new world record for the fastest One-Day International (ODI) while still a New Zealander. player.
Our captain Monank Patel and Ali Khan proudly displayed their @ICC @T20WorldCup jerseys for the first time at Grand Prairie Stadium! Excitement is increasing as #TeamUSA prepares for the #T20WorldCup! @Amul_Coop | #WeAreUSACricket pic.twitter.com/1KhYStF57y
– USA Cricket (@usacricket) May 29, 2024
‘An opportunity to ignite cricket’
Incidentally, the USA were drawn against Pakistan and India in the World Cup T20 group.
Law, a former Australian international, says his role will be to remind players to do right by the USA in relation to their country of birth or their ancestors.
The 55-year-old believes that if the cricket team had managed to get “the people of America” to see and enjoy their success, they would have done “a really good job”.
“It’s an opportunity to put on a real show to light [an interest in] cricket in this country,” Law said.
The former West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coach took up the US job a few weeks before the tournament, but that hasn’t stopped him looking to the future of cricket in the North American country.
“The icing on the cake would be to have, in five to 10 years, a team born, raised and trained in the USA playing for the USA. That would be an absolute dream come true.”
Law was initially brought in to help with team selection, but his role was gradually expanded until his appointment in April.
He admits that “there’s not a lot of structure” in the way players come together to train.
“If they want to hit the ball, they need to get together and organize themselves,” he revealed.
“They are basically semi-professional players – many of them still have jobs so they play cricket when [they are] available or when the team needs it.
“But seeing them be more professional than some of the professionals I’ve seen work before was a pleasant surprise.”
The USA cannot be expected to spring many upsets against the likes of India and Pakistan, but they did manage to shock another strong South Asian team in the weeks leading up to the World Cup.
The co-hosts beat Bangladesh 2-1 in the three-match T20 series.
Law knows his team “won’t lift the trophy at the end of the World Cup”, but says it would be great if they could “cause a few scares” in the four group stage matches.
The other two teams in US Group A are Ireland, another full ICC member, and northern neighbors Canada, against whom they open their campaign and tournament on June 1.
It was against the same opponents that the US played its first recorded cricket match, more than a century ago, and lost.
A memorable victory in a rematch in the heart of the South Asian community in Texas, which opens its first ICC World Cup tournament, could be just the fire that US cricket needs.
Three players to watch
Corey Anderson: For the US, capturing Anderson was a huge coup given the powerful batsman’s reputation in New Zealand. The left-hander broke the then world record for the fastest ODI century in 2014 when he reached the milestone off just 36 balls.
The 33-year-old, who moved to the United States in 2021 where he is a regular in Major League Cricket, only recently qualified for the national team.
Monak Patel: Captain, wicketkeeper and stalwart of the US team, Patel will be a vital part of their performances.
Born in Gujarat, India, the 31-year-old represented his state at under-16 and under-19 levels before moving to the US, where he made his debut in 2018.
Ali Khan: The fast bowler’s 3-25 against Bangladesh helped seal the three-match series and earned him the man of the match award.
The 33-year-old was born in Punjab, Pakistan and had a long and established career in the Pakistan Super League and earned an Indian Premier League contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
