Former Sri Lanka allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya is set to make his USA debut at the 2026 T20 World Cup. The 34-year-old, who bats left-handed and bowls offspin, has been named in USA’s 15-man squad for the tournament, which is set to begin in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.
Jayasuriya, who played 12 ODIs and 18 T20Is for Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2020, is one of two players in the squad who are yet to earn their first USA caps. The other is the 29-year-old Peshawar-born legspin-bowling allrounder Mohammad Mohsin, who is yet to make his international debut.
Also in the squad is the Pune-born batter Shubham Ranjane, who has played four ODIs for USA but is yet to make his T20I debut.
Ranjane is the grandson of Vasant Ranjane, the medium-pacer who played seven Test matches for India from 1958 to 1964.
The squad includes 10 players who were part of USA’s run to the Super EIght stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. These include Andries Gous and Saurabh Netravalkar, the team’s highest run-getter and wicket-taker in that tournament, and captain Monank Patel.
Star batter Aaron Jones, however, is not in the squad, having been charged under the ICC and CWI’s anti-corruption codes and suspended from all cricket.
With USA Cricket presently suspended by the ICC, the squad was picked by a panel led by head coach Pubudu Dassanayake, with the selection observed by a compliance officer appointed by the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
USA are in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and defending champions India. They begin their tournament against co-hosts India in Mumbai on February 7, and then face Pakistan - whom they famously defeated in the 2024 edition - in Colombo on February 10. Their last two group matches are in Chennai, against Netherlands (February 13) and Namibia (February 15).
USA squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Monank Patel (capt), Jasdeep Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamala, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shubham Ranjane
Source: Cricinfo
--Agencies
