Big picture: No context 2026
The USA national team has only four players born in the USA, all of them children of immigrants. The other 11 are first-generation immigrants.
Three of those 11 were born in Pakistan. Their captain Monank Patel, and four others, were born in India. Monank recently told PTI there is "no Indian or Pakistani when you represent the USA."
This team of Indian, Pakistani, South African and Sri Lankan immigrants will get under the star-sprangled banner and start, against India, their campaign in this T20 World Cup, during whose build-up the world has seemed to grow increasingly polarised.
Make of it what you will. Be relieved that cricket still has room for these niceties, or be despondent that this small win is worth celebrating.
Amid all the politicking, what has probably not been celebrated enough is the T20 excellence India have put together. Over nine editions, the T20 world title has neither been defended successfully nor been won at home. On Saturday, in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium where they won the 2011 ODI title, India will begin their campaign promising that both can be achieved in a month's time.
Form guide
India WLWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
USA WWLWW
In the spotlight: Harmeet Singh and Ishan Kishan
Fourteen years ago, Ian Chappell wrote that left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, born in Mumbai and an Under-19 World Cup winner for India, was ready for international cricket. Watching Harmeet, Chappell was put in the mind of Bishan Singh Bedi. Here he is, an international cricketer via a circuitous route, back in his place of birth to take on the team representing his country of birth.
Six months ago, Ishan Kishan was not even on the World Cup radar. Then Shubman Gill got injured and fell short of runs on his T20I comeback. Kishan blasted all comers during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. So he entered the World Cup squad as the back-up wicketkeeper-batter. Then Sanju Samson fell short of runs. Now, if India's World Cup warm-up fixture was anything to go by, Kishan is the No. 1 choice to partner Abhishek Sharma at the top. And if he can get off to a good start, he is likely to keep his place for the business end of the tournament.
Aakash Chopra on if teams outside of India and Pakistan be able to compete for a qualification spot in Group A
Team news
Washington Sundar, still recovering from a side strain, was not with the squad during their warm-up match against South Africa, but India are going to keep him in their squad. As it is, he is a back-up for Axar Patel, who is the first-choice spin allrounder. Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury; Mohammed Siraj has been brought in as a replacement. Tilak Varma has made a successful return to fitness.
India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.
Andries Gous, who missed USA's last T20I, the final of the North America T20 Cup last April, should come back as wicketkeeper and opener. Others could drop down a slot each to make up for the absence of the suspended Aaron Jones.
USA (probable): 1 Saiteja Mukkamalla, 2 Andries Gous (wk), 3 Shayan Jahangir, 4 Monank Patel (capt.), 5 Milind Kumar, 6 Harmeet Singh, 7 Shubham Ranjane, 8 Mohammad Mohsin, 9 Shadley van Schalkwyk, 10 Saurabh Netravalkar, 11 Ali Khan
The India captain says they will fly to Colombo as the refusal to play came from Pakistan
Pitch and conditions
India's west coast is already registering highs of 35 degrees Celsius and above, but the evening should get pleasant. If the temperature differential between day and night results in dew, it will make the usually high-scoring Wankhede Stadium even more batting-friendly. The dew will be something all teams will keep an eye on with bigger matches, including one semi-final, coming later in the tournament.
Stats and trivia
Suryakumar Yadav and Harmeet Singh have teamed up for Mumbai six times in first-class cricket, all in 2015. The one time they played against each other, during the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar scored a match-winning run-a-ball half-century in a tricky chase.
India last lost a T20 World Cup match in 2022, the semi-final against England in Adelaide.
India's 271 for 5 in their last T20I, against New Zealand, was their fourth score of 250 or above. No team has reached the landmark as often.
