Mumbai: Defending champions India were set to open their T20 World Cup campaign against the United States at the Wankhede Stadium here in a much-anticipated match on Saturday.
The USA team has sportsmen from India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. With eight members of the USA squad tracing their roots back to India, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash at the Wankhede has been playfully dubbed as “Green Card versus Aadhaar Card”.
Captain Maunak Patel, spinner Harmeet Singh, batter Shubham Ranjane, Jasdeep Singh, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Saiteja Mukkamalla and experienced left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar constitute the Indian-rooted side of the American team.
For Harmeet, Shubham and Netravalkar, this fixture carries a deeper resonance. All three are products of the Mumbai cricket fields.
On the eve of the match, India captain Suryakumar Yadav viewed the presence of Indian-origin players in rival teams as a sign of the game’s expanding reach.
“They’ve gone now to the land of dollars,” Suryakumar said. “But I look at it positively. It’s good that players are getting opportunities. Even if they’re representing other countries, it’s still a chance to play international cricket. I’ve played a lot with them before. Right now, though, we’re enjoying our own cricket. I’ve played enough in Mumbai to know how things work here. It will be fun. We start the tournament tomorrow, and then we’ll catch up slowly.”
The 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup rolls into action on Saturday, carrying as much off-field intrigue as on-field promise. Bangladesh’s withdrawal and Pakistan’s refusal to face India in their scheduled February 15 clash have already forced conversations beyond cricket.
For all the turbulence, this remains a tournament that celebrates cricket’s global surge.
