USA name squad for first-ever T20I
USA Cricket on Wednesday, 27 February, announced a 14-member squad led by Saurabh Netravalkar for the historic tour of Dubai.
The tour includes two T20Is and a number of 50-over matches.They will serve as vital preparation for the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 tournament in Namibia in April, where ODI status and promotion to the next rung is at stake.
BREAKING: #TeamUSA🇺🇸 squad announced for next month's tour of UAE that will feature our FIRST ever Twenty20 Internationals vs @EmiratesCricket🇦🇪 in Dubai! 🙌🏆
— USA Cricket (@usacricket) February 28, 2019
There's 2 changes to our squad that qualified from #WCL3 in Oman in November
⬇️Full Details⬇️https://t.co/HrL9wQU2YA
Xavier Marshall, the experienced batsman who played 37 internationals for the West Indies, and Jasdeep Singh, the medium-pacer, return to the squad after missing out in the Division 3 games in Oman. They were both part of the USA team that featured in the domestic Super 50 campaign in the Caribbean.
Alex Amsterdam and Nisarg Patel have been left out.
"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 [ODI] status and progression from World Cricket League Division 2 in Namibia, said Ricardo Powell, chairman of selectors. "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.”
Pubudu Dassanayake, the coach, also has his focus on the games 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."
The T20Is will be the USA's first internationals since 2004, when they featured in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (c), Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Muhammad Ali Khan, Jan Nisar-Khan, Jaskaran Malhotra, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jasdeep Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Schedule (further matches to be announced)
March 15: USA v UAE, ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai, 1pm
March 16: USA v UAE, ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai, 1pm