The team, led by Monank Patel, also includes Andries Gous, a wicketkeeper-batter born in South Africa.
USA has announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Canada, naming former New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson in the squad. Corey Anderson, 33, last played for New Zealand in 2018 and has been aiming to qualify for the USA team.
Monank Patel will continue to captain the USA team for the series, scheduled to be held in Houston, Texas from April 7 to 13. Aaron Jones will serve as the vice-captain.
This series is crucial for the USA team as they prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with the West Indies in June. USA also has a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in May.
“With the ICC T20 World Cup looming, this series is very important for our team,” said Monank in a statement from USA Cricket. “We have some new players joining the squad, and these matches will help us find the right combinations and prepare well for the World Cup.”
However, despite Monank’s statement, there aren’t many new faces in the squad. Monank and Jones bring experience to the side, as does corey Anderson, who has played international cricket for New Zealand. Corey Anderson has represented New Zealand in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, including the 2015 World Cup final.
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USA’s squad against Canada also includes players like Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Nisarg Patel, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nitish Kumar, and Usman Rafiq, among others. While some players like Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Milind Kumar, and Shadley van Schalkwyk have not played international cricket, they bring first-class and T20 experience.
Gous, originally from South Africa, moved to the USA in 2021. He has represented South Africa Under-19 and has played domestically for Free State and Knights. He has played numerous first-class, List-A, and T20 matches, including a recent stint in the UAE’s ILT20. Gous will qualify to play for USA in April, making him eligible for the T20 World Cup.
The matches against Canada will be held at the Prairie View Cricket Complex, with the USA team starting their preparations at the venue by April 1.
Both Canada and USA are in Group A at the T20 World Cup, along with India, Ireland, and Pakistan. They will face each other in the World Cup opener on June 2 in Dallas, Texas.