- The ICC Americas Qualifier event will be hosted by Mexico from October 18 to 25 where Argentina, Brazil, Canada and USA will compete in the tournament
- USA Women return to action for their first international matches in over 2 years
- Sindhu Sriharsha captains a 15-player squad from which the final 14 will be selected ahead of the event
- Nadia Gruny and Samantha Ramautar announce their international retirements
USA Cricket is pleased to today name a 15-player squad who will travel to Mexico to compete in the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier. It will mark the return to international cricket for the Women’s National team for the first time since September 2019, where USA, Argentina, Brazil and Canada will play-off in a double round-robin event to decide the one qualifier that will advance to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in 2022.
It is a youthful squad that has been named by USA with no fewer than nine uncapped players, many of whom came through the domestic structure that was established this year and starred at the Sistar Mortgage Women’s National Championships in Florida. In addition to the 14 players originally selected, 23-year old Tara Norris has also been included to make up an extended squad of 15 players who will travel to this event. A left-handed quick bowler, Tara was born in Philadelphia, and has been very active and successful in English domestic cricket over the past few years, most recently with the Southern Brave in The Hundred. She will immediately join the squad and be fully involved in its preparations, including travelling early to the USA to spend time with her teammates and coaching staff ahead of the trip to Mexico.
Chair of the Women’s National Selection Panel, Ritesh Kadu, said, “It is incredibly exciting to herald the return of international cricket for Team USA Women with a youthful, dynamic and impressive new squad. We believe the future is bright for the women’s game with the quality of cricket throughout the Sistar Mortgage Women & Girls domestic structure impressing all involved. The simple goal is to qualify from this event and move on to the Global Qualifier. The Selection Panel believes that we have a strong, young and talented squad complemented by several experienced players, which creates a nice balance to be able to achieve that.”
Julia Price, USA Women’s National Team Head Coach added, “It is truly fantastic that we are finally getting back into action on the international stage after what’s been an incredibly lengthy wait. It’s been a brilliant year of domestic action though and the new domestic structure has given our players the opportunity to test and challenge themselves both on and off the field in order to be selected for the national team. With a great balance of experience and outstanding new talent coming through the system, we are better prepared than ever before and very excited to play cricket for the USA after two long years away from the international game.”
USA Cricket would also like to announce that two great servants of women’s cricket in the United States have formally confirmed that they would be retiring from playing duties for Team USA. Nadia Gruny played 27 times in internationals for the USA, debuting back in 2010 and scoring USA Women’s first-ever T20I fifty in 2019. She also captained the side in 2015. In addition, Samantha Ramautar played 19 times in internationals for USA and was USA’s leading wicket taker at the 2012 ICC Americas T20 Qualifier and the 2017 ICC Americas/Europe T20 Qualifier, having debuted back in 2011.
Both players will continue to play important roles off the field with Nadia continuing in her role as a USA Cricket Board Member and Chair of the Women & Girls Committee, while Samantha has recently been appointed to the newly founded Constitutional Review Working Group.
USA Cricket would like to thank both players for their significant achievements on the pitch and wish them well as they continue to pave the way for females in leadership positions within the sport in the USA.
Finally, following a lengthy recruitment process, USA Cricket is pleased to confirm that long time American cricket administrator, John Aaron, has been appointed as Team Manager for the USA Women’s Senior National Team and will assume his responsibilities with immediate effect.
Team USA Women’s Squad
Sindhu Sriharsha (captain)
Shebani Bhaskar (vice-captain)
Akshatha Rao
Anika Kolan
Chetnaa Prasad
Gargi Bhogle
Geetika Kodali
Holly Charles
Isani Vaghela
Laasya Mullapudi
Moksha Chaudhary
Sara Farooq
Suhani Thadani
Tara Norris
Uzma Iftikar
