For most of the past century, the cricket world has attempted to rekindle a love for the game that was first officially played in New York in the 19th century.
Cricket in the United States is older than anywhere else in the world, according to archived references.
Now, the game returns to the United States by awarding it the rights to co-host the 2024 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup.
Under the flag of the country’s Stars and Stripes, 15 men in the United States, however, come from varied backgrounds. Eleven of the 15 belong to the colorful South Asian network of Indian and Pakistani descent.
The two South Asian nations would arguably be bitter rivals, but the acrimony disappears when the players gather in the U. S. team’s locker room.
“The respect is obvious,” U. S. coach Stuart Law told Al Jazeera.
“They [the players] are not India or Pakistan, West Indies or South Africa; they are all fighting for the star-studded colors and just need to put on a smart display for the American people,” Law said.
“We all come from other backgrounds and cultures, but you know that,” he said.
The United States will be led by India’s Monank Patel, while its prominent leader is Pakistan’s Ali Khan. The team also features former New Zealand superstar Corey Anderson, known for his punching strength and record-breaking tackles in 2014, when he set a new world record. record for the fastest day (ODI) overseas while still a New Zealand player.
– USA Cricket (@usacricket) May 29, 2024
Incidentally, the U. S. faced Pakistan and India in their T20 World Cup group.
Law, a former Australia international, says his task will be to remind players to act for the U. S. against their country of birth or against their ancestors.
The 55-year-old believes that if the cricket team had been able to get “the American people” to see and appreciate their success, they would have done “a very clever job”.
“This is an opportunity to put on a genuine exhibition to spark [interest in] cricket in this country,” Law said.
The former West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coach joined his duties in the United States a few weeks before the tournament, but that has not stopped him from continuing the long history of cricket in the North American country.
“The icing on the cake would be to have, in five to ten years, a team born, raised and trained in the United States, for the United States. It would be an absolute dream come true.
Law was initially hired to help with the team’s diversity, but his role was gradually expanded until his appointment in April.
He admits that “there’s a lot of structure” in the way players combine to train.
“If they need to pass and hit balls, they have to combine and get organized,” he revealed.
“They are essentially semi-professional players; Many of them still have jobs and play cricket when they are available or when the team wants them to.
“But to see them be more professional than some of the real pros I’ve noticed racing was a pleasant surprise. “
The United States cannot be expected to have too many wonders in the market unlike countries like India and Pakistan, however, they managed to surprise a strong South Asian team in the weeks leading up to the World Cup.
The co-hosts beat Bangladesh 2-1 in their three-match T20 series.
Law knows his team “won’t lift the trophy at the end of the World Cup,” but says it would be fantastic if they could “give some scares” in their four organizational games.
The other two teams in Group A from the United States are Ireland, a full member of the ICC, and their northern neighbor Canada, against whom they will open their crusade and tournament on June 1.
It opposed the same warring parties as the U. S. played its first recorded cricket match more than a century ago and lost.
A memorable rematch win in the center of Texas’ South Asian net that opens its first ICC World Cup tournament would arguably be the fire cricket the U. S. needs.
Corey Anderson: For the U. S. , Anderson’s sack was a big blow given the hard-hitter’s reputation with New Zealand. The left-hander broke the fastest ODI world record of the century in 2014, when he reached the milestone with just 36 balls.
The 33-year-old, who moved to the United States in 2021, where he is a regular in Major League Cricket, recently qualified for the national team.
Monak Patel: Captain, goalkeeper and mainstay of the U. S. team, Patel will be a cog in his performances.
Born in Gujarat, India, the 31-year-old represented his state at U-16 and U-19 levels before traveling to the United States, where he made his debut in 2018.
Ali Khan: The fast pitcher’s 3-25 run in Bangladesh helped seal the three-game series and earned him the Player of the Game award.
The 33-year-old was born in Punjab, Pakistan, had a long and well-established career in the Pakistan Super League and landed a contract in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders.