As India begin their title defense in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7, the spotlight will largely be on the favourites. But the first hurdle in their path is a plucky United States side intent on using the global stage to signal that they are no longer content with just an Associate nations tag.
USA come into the tournament with a core group of players hardened by international exposure and the growing influence of franchise cricket back home with the Major League Cricket kicking off in 2023. Now they will be eager to bring that experience onto the world stage and test themselves against the very best in the sport.
Co-hosts of the previous edition in 2024, USA caused a major upset in their tournament debut as they first defeated neighbours Canada and then went on to take down Pakistan in a Super Over after both teams finished on 159 runs.
Those results helped USA advance to the Super 8 stage, making them one of the few Associate sides to reach the second round in a Men's T20 World Cup. While they couldn't get past the Super 8 stage, their campaign signalled their intent to leave a mark on the world stage and they'll be hoping to progress even further this time around.
ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Full List Of Players Ruled Out Of The Tournament So Far
The Squad:
The USA World Cup squad reflects the multicultural nature of the country itself, with the majority of players having been born outside the United States. Only four players in the 15-member squad were born in the USA, all of them are born to immigrants and trace their roots to cricketing nations overseas.
The other 11 are first-generation immigrants who developed their cricket in traditional cricket nations before qualifying to represent the Stars and Stripes. Their captain Monank Patel, was born in Gujarat, India and has led USA since 2021.
USA Squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Monank Patel (c), Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamala, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shubham Ranjane.
Players to Watch:
Monank Patel (Captain):
USA's most reliable batter and the team's tactical mastermind, Patel has been the team's leading run-scorer in T20 internationals over recent seasons and is key to their ability to post competitive totals. His role at the top and through the middle overs will be pivotal in absorbing early pressure from India's new-ball bowlers.
Andries Gous (Wicketkeeper-batter):
A senior and consistent run-getter for the United States, Gous has established himself as one of USA's most productive T20I batters. In 25 T20 internationals, he has scored 751 runs at an average of 32.65, including six half-centuries with a top score of 81. His ability to score consistently at a healthy strike rate of 145.26 makes him a key figure at the top of the lineup.
Ali Khan (Fast bowler):
Born and raised in Pakistan, Khan moved to USA at the age of 19 bringing bags of pace with him. Khan quickly established himself as USA's quickest bowler and their most experienced death-overs option. His ability to hit hard lengths and extract bounce will be central to USA's hopes of nabbing wickets against India's deep batting order.
Saurabh Netravalkar (Left-arm fast bowler):
The leader of USA's pace attack, Netravalkar has 40 wickets in 41 T20Is for the USA. His ability to swing the ball back into right-handers and his control with the new ball make him their best option of challenging India's top order early, especially under lights. Netravalkar managed to get the priced scalps of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the last edition and will be looking to impose similar damage as he makes an emotional return to the city of his birth for the tournament opener.
Team USA Probable XI: Saiteja Mukkamalla, Andries Gous (WK), Shayan Jahangir, Monank Patel (C), Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Shubham Ranjane, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan.
ALSO READ: U19 World Cup Final: How 14-Year-Old Suryavanshi The Record Books
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.