Aaron Jones, right, and Monank Patel embrace after beating Canada in their opening World Cup match in Texas © Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC/Getty Images
Saurabh Netravalkar was supposed to return to his job at Oracle on Monday. Instead, the 32-year-old fast bowler is in Antigua, gearing up to lead the US cricket team against South Africa in the T20 World Cup.
The India-born player has emerged as a surprising star in the tournament, helping his team create one of cricket’s most unexpected success stories. The US, automatically qualified as co-hosts with the West Indies, stunned seasoned cricket watchers by defeating Pakistan and narrowly losing to India in New York.
Historic Performance
This, combined with a victory over Canada and a washout against Ireland in Florida, propelled the team into the final eight in their World Cup debut. “A lot of people don’t really pay much attention to US cricket,” said Aaron Jones, who switched from playing for Barbados to the US team. “Probably the whole world doesn’t already know how much talent we have here.”
Netravalkar, who came to the US for college and is on a work visa, played a crucial role. He held his nerve in a deciding “super over” against Pakistan and dismissed India’s top batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. After some matches, he logs onto his work laptop in his hotel room.
Many of his teammates share similar stories. They left budding cricket careers in India, Pakistan, and the Caribbean for economic opportunities in the US, where they found the sport’s slow revival. The Indian press has dubbed them the “H1-B” team, referencing the US work visa for foreign nationals.
Monank Patel, the team captain from Gujarat, India, came to the US in 2015 to run a restaurant franchise. He initially played club cricket before joining the national team, which only started awarding professional contracts five years ago.
Growing Fan Base
Patel noted the team’s World Cup success is attracting a broader fan base. “Mostly we see the Asian and Caribbean community coming in and supporting us, but we have seen a lot of other people. It is really surprising and good to see.”
Team USA’s victories even caught mainstream sports outlets’ attention. Barstool Sports described the win over Pakistan as “like the Red Sox losing to [minor league] Durham Bulls.” The White House called the team’s performance “tremendous” and expressed support.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Texan billionaire Ross Perot Jr. are among those investing in Major League Cricket (MLC), a T20 franchise that will begin its second season after the World Cup. Global stars like Pat Cummins and Rashid Khan have joined the tournament, drawn by high pay.
Sanjay Govil, owner of the MLC team Washington Freedom, compared the US team’s run to the US beating Russia in the 1980 Olympics. MLC CEO Vijay Srinivasan hopes the team’s performance will inspire more Americans to play cricket, which already has 200,000 recreational players in the US.
Future Prospects
Currently, the US has just three dedicated cricket stadiums, but more are planned for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The team’s advancement also ensures automatic qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.
In Antigua, the US squad is focused on reaching the semi-finals, facing South Africa, the West Indies, and England. “When we started the World Cup, we focused on one game at a time,” said Patel. “That’s what we want to continue to do, without thinking too much.”
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