USA Cricket today announces a squad of 14 players to undertake a historic tour of Dubai that will include USA’s first-ever official Twenty20 International matches against the United Arab Emirates next month.
USA will lock horns with the UAE at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai in a two match Twenty20 International Series on March 15 and March 16. The games will be the first internationals with official status since the USA’s solitary appearance at the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004, where the nation played its only two One Day Internationals to date.
The tour will also feature a number of 50 Over matches as the Team USA squad continues its preparations for the crucial ICC World Cricket League Division 2 (WCL2) tournament which will be held in Namibia April. The WCL2 tournament will feature six countries, with the top four finishers gaining One Day International status and progressing to ICC World Cricket Cup League 2 that commences in July, 2019 and features a league of 36 One Day International matches for each team over 2 years as part of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifying structure.
Following the recent training camp tour held in Antigua, the final squad was selected with two changes from the Team USA squad that qualified at ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in Oman in November. Xavier Marshall and Jasdeep Singh return to the squad after missing out in Oman, with Alex Amsterdam and Nisarg Patel being the men replaced. The 32 year-old Marshall brings a wealth of experience to the batting line-up as he made 8 appearances for USA in the 2017/18 Super 50 campaign in the Caribbean. The 26 year-old Singh brings a great x-factor with the ball and played 3 times for USA in the 2018/19 Super50, including in the victory over the Leeward Islands. USA Cricket greatly appreciates the contributions of Amsterdam and Patel and they will be with this team in spirit thanks to their contributions in WCL3.
Jasdeep Singh prepares to bowl at the Super50 in November 2018
Discussing the squad selection, USA Chairman of Selectors Ricardo Powell said, “This was a particularly difficult squad to select for the USA Selection Panel as we are blessed with a large group of talented cricketers across the country at the moment. We see the UAE tour as being the perfect preparation for ICC World Cricket League 2 and the make-up of this squad has been picked squarely with the focus on the ultimate goal of One Day International status and progression from World Cricket League Division 2 in Namibia. Xavier and Jessy have done very well of late, with both showing how much they can bring to the squad recently in Antigua and I am certain they’ll both be great contributors to the squad.”
USA Head Coach Pubudu Dassanayake is excited by the prospect of the country’s first official Twenty20 Internationals but also has his focus on the bigger prize in Namibia. “It’s been a long time coming for USA to get back to internationals with official status, so I’m very much looking forward to the challenge against a strong UAE side. We know as a group however that the most important thing for us is to get into the perfect shape and make every provision that we can ahead of World Cricket League Division 2 in April,” said Dassanayake.
Team USA squad:
Saurabh Netravalkar (C) (Marin 1, Northern California Cricket Association)
Elmore Hutchinson (Caribbean CC, Southern California Cricket Association)
Aaron Jones (Atlantis Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Nosthush Kenjige (Atlantis Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Muhammad Ali Khan (Ohio All Stars, Unity Cup)
Jan Nisar-Khan (Smartchoice Sports Club, Houston Cricket League)
Jaskaran Malhotra (Triggers Cricket Club, Houston Cricket League)
Xavier Marshall (Villagers Athletic Sports Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Monank Patel (Freedom Cricket Club, Cricket League of New Jersey)
Timil Patel (Vijayta CC, Southern California Cricket Association)
Roy Silva (Covington Conyers, Atlanta GA Cricket Conference)
Jasdeep Singh (Smashers Cricket Club, Cricket League of New Jersey)
Steven Taylor (Sheffield Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Hayden Walsh Jr (Atlantis Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Team USA schedule: (further matches will be announced in coming weeks)
March 15 – USA v UAE (1pm) – ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai
March 16 – USA v UAE (1pm) – ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai
