The stage is set for a truly special encounter as the United States men’s cricket team gears up for their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener against India at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium on February 8. For USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, this match is nothing short of a dream realized—a homecoming that brings his cricketing journey full circle. Born and raised in Mumbai, Netravalkar’s excitement is palpable as he prepares to perform in front of family and friends at the very ground where he first fell in love with the sport.
“Yeah, personally feels like a full circle moment for me because I learned my cricket here. I grew up in Mumbai and getting an opportunity to play at Wankhede, which has been my dream since childhood as well so nostalgic emotional—good to see, I’m looking forward for my family friends to be there and I’ll give my best,” Netravalkar shared on the eve of the match, his words brimming with anticipation and pride.
But it’s not just a personal milestone for Netravalkar. The USA squad, led by captain Monank Patel, is embracing the magnitude of this occasion. All-rounder Sanjay Krishnamurthi, one of the homegrown talents in the team, echoed the sentiment, underscoring the broader significance for American cricket. “Yeah, I think for all Americans this is a special moment for our country. To be able to come here and play cricket in one of the most iconic stadiums against one of the best teams in the world right now and I think it’s going to inspire a future generation of cricketers to come and rise through the ranks in American cricket,” Krishnamurthi said.
The USA finds itself in Group A, alongside heavyweights India and Pakistan, as well as the Netherlands and Namibia. The journey begins with India on February 8, followed by Pakistan on February 10, the Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15. It’s a challenging draw, but one that promises ample opportunity for the Americans to test their mettle on the world stage.
The squad is a testament to the diverse roots of cricket in the United States. Alongside Patel, Netravalkar, and Krishnamurthi, the team features Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamala, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, and Shubham Ranjane. This cosmopolitan mix is more than just a curiosity—it’s a strategic asset, says Netravalkar: “It definitely helps to have people who have learned the sport in different parts of the globe. They’ll have their own unique inputs to the same situations and the more we play together, the more we are learning from each other. That could be our strength.”
Since their memorable performance in the last World Cup, where the USA stunned Pakistan, the team has grown in both experience and confidence. “Yeah, I think since then we’ve grown a lot in experience as a unit, with obviously three seasons of Major League Cricket. Quite a few of our guys have gotten good gigs in franchise leagues around the world. So that experience, it definitely helps,” Netravalkar reflected. The team’s recent participation in the 50-over qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup has also given them valuable match practice—“so far so good. We are top of the table. We’re doing decently so that experience has increased and hopefully it shows on the field.”
The challenge ahead, however, is formidable. Playing in subcontinent conditions, especially at a venue renowned for its batter-friendly pitches and packed stands, is a different beast. “2024 was a different condition to play and it was little more bowler friendly, pitches were different. Subcontinent, the challenges are different. There’ll be huge crowds, more batter friendly pitches. Less margin for error—as a bowler. So different challenges, but we’ve prepped our best. We were a month in Sri Lanka. We had decent training facilities. So we just want to take one game at a time and play a good brand of cricket, and that’s what we’ll judge ourselves by than the results,” Netravalkar explained, showing a clear-eyed understanding of the task ahead.
He also emphasized the mental and tactical demands of bowling to India’s explosive top order. “On flatter pitches, obviously the main thing is to be proactive and anticipate what the batter is trying to do. So it will be more of a mental game than a skill-based game. Obviously the skills you have to execute, but there is some kind of a chess game going on there. We’ll try to do our analysis, see the patterns of how batters score their runs and try to bowl the best ball that gives us the best chance to minimize the damage or induce a false shot.”
The absence of senior batter Aaron Jones is a talking point, but Krishnamurthi remains confident: “Aaron’s obviously a senior player in this team and he performed very well last World Cup but we have a whole batting lineup full of batters with quite a bit of experience and over the last two years in franchise cricket, most of us have done quite well. So I think—yeah we’re going to miss him, but at the same time, I think our batting lineup is still well equipped to fill up that gap.”
For American cricket, this World Cup is about more than just results. It’s about sparking inspiration at home, where cricket is still carving out its place alongside sports like baseball. Krishnamurthi has seen firsthand how the sport is catching on: “Once Major League started we saw a lot of kids, see a future career possibility in cricket and then last World Cup really I was doing some part-time coaching at an academy and I saw quite a few new parents putting their kids into cricket and I see just in general there’s a lot of more kids thinking about cricket as more than just a hobby. It’s now something that could become a profession.”
Drawing from the American sporting landscape, Krishnamurthi even highlighted how baseball’s influence can benefit cricket in the U.S. “Actually when I first went to the US I worked with the baseball coach to work on power hitting because that’s something that I think they’re miles ahead of cricket in… So I think there’s a lot that you can learn from baseball as well as their throwing technique is very, very good. So I think in the US we have the best baseball coaches and I think we can really make use of that and that can help us.”
Behind the scenes, coach Pubudu Dassanayake’s return has been a boost for team morale and preparation. “He’s been very special to the team for me personally as well because I made my debut under him in 2018 and 2019 we got ODI status and now he’s back again—a nostalgic moment for us. What he brings specifically to the table is—he eats, breathes, and lives cricket and he likes to have no stone unturned. He makes sure he pushes us to the best in all aspects—skills, fitness, mental preparation and yeah, it’s tough but it’s what we need to do to get to the next level so I’m happy that he’s here with us,” Netravalkar said.
As the USA prepares to take on India in Mumbai, there’s a sense of excitement, unity, and hope. The Americans know the odds, but they’re ready to give it their all, playing not just for victory but for the future of cricket in the United States. With a squad that embodies global cricketing experience and a mindset focused on learning and growth, the USA enters the World Cup spotlight eager to make their mark. The action is about to begin, and for Netravalkar, Krishnamurthi, and their teammates, it’s a moment they’ll never forget.