After the end of MLC 2025, a group of five people who regularly cover American cricket got together for a video-recorded discussion on what a USA squad might look like for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. 

By Peter Della Penna (Twitter/X @PeterDellaPenna)
 
After the conclusion of 2025 Major League Cricket, a group of five journalists and commentators covering American domestic and international cricket (myself, Aamal Patel, Nate Hays, Brian Walters, Zee Zaidi) got together for a video recorded discussion on what a USA squad might look like for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held early next year in India and Sri Lanka. The guidelines were simple: take 48 hours to individually pick a starting XI, four squad reserves and then two traveling reserves in case of injury. 
 
Everyone in the process then revealed their respective squads at the same time rather than beforehand to avoid influencing any personal opinions into changing someone’s mind prior to each person’s squad being shown. After each person unveiled their squad, the subsequent dialogue lasted more than two hours. The squad revelations also produced some fascinating conclusions. 
 
Among them, six players were unanimous selections to be in a USA starting XI: captain Monank Patel, Andries Gous, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan and finally Hassan Khan. However, Hassan’s eligibility for USA at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is unconfirmed as there is currently conflicting information regarding his eligibility date for USA having entered the country at some point in the first half of 2023 to begin his residency qualification period. Separately, three other players – Harmeet Singh, Shubham Ranjane and Rushil Ugarkar – were unanimous selections to be at least in a 15-man World Cup squad, with varying opinions about whether they should be in USA’s best XI or begin in the squad reserves. 
 
Finally, there was also unanimous agreement that five players who were part of USA’s 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad – Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson and Nisarg Patel – should not currently be in consideration for a spot in next year’s World Cup squad. It’s an indication that although majority of the squad from the 2024 T20 World Cup remains firmly in the frame, a third of the squad has fallen out of the picture and can be improved with more in-form selections.
 
The entire selection discussion can be watched on the YouTube video embedded in this article.

The following is the squad compiled by myself with reasons arguing in favor of the players chosen for their slots or roles. 
 
1 Monank Patel (captain/wk) – Coming off his 2025 MLC where he claimed the Bart King Award as the best domestic player in addition to finishing as the leading scorer in the competition, it’s hard to find someone in better form than Monank. His USA record speaks for itself and in the context of the USA T20 World Cup squad, his quality was highlighted by a Player of the Match performance in the win over Pakistan, as well as USA's subsequent struggle to replace his runs when he missed the rest of the World Cup after injuring himself in the raucous celebrations following that win.  
 
2 Sai Mukkamalla – The 21-year-old got several starts for Texas Super Kings this season – he made 25 or better four times – without going on to convert any of them past a best of 38. However, his USA T20 form has been hard to beat in the last year with five fifties and a century – against Oman in February – in 18 innings. 
 
3 Andries Gous – When weighing up whether Mukkamalla or Andries Gous should open the batting, Mukkamalla got my nod to open based on a higher average (42.60 vs 32.65) and also a better strike rate (152.87 vs. 145.26) as someone who is busier earlier in his innings during the Powerplay phase. However, Gous has demonstrated an ability to be more devastating from overs 11 through 20 once he gets set. Though he didn’t have an overwhelming MLC – 216 runs at an average of 27.00 – he’s still one of the best bats in America.
 
4 Sanjay Krishnamurthi – The 22-year-old’s USA T20I record is still modest after just five innings – 90 runs at an average of 30.00, strike rate of 130.43 – since his debut in the format in February. But he’s showed across multiple seasons of MLC that he can stand toe-to-toe against world-class bowling and score at a furious rate including a best of 92 off 40 balls with seven sixes vs. LA Knight Riders. Compared to the conventional oven style of batting seen in Monank and Gous, Krishnamurthi is a microwave: instant offense virtually from ball one. He’s also one of the best fielders in the country. 
 
5 Milind Kumar – Another player whose USA record – especially in ODIs – is far stronger than his MLC record. Though Milind’s T20I record for USA is nothing to shout about, he’s arguably USA’s best player of spin in a tournament that will be played in spinning conditions. He also provides a valuable offspin bowling option in situations where he regularly rips through left-handed lineups and is a top-class fielder. 
 
6 Shubham Ranjane – Yet to make a USA debut, he is qualified on residency and has shown across multiple seasons of Minor League and Major League Cricket what a consistent force he is in the middle-order. Seattle Orcas were made to look foolish by not retaining him ahead of the MLC domestic draft as he tore up MLC with Texas Super Kings this season with 268 runs at an average of 67.00. Arguably his most eye-catching performance was the 39 not out off 14 balls he struck in a match-reduced to five overs due to rain against the then defending champion and eventual 2025 finalist Washington Freedom. 
 
7 Hassan Khan – If he’s eligible to play for USA, then he’s an automatic pick. The 2024 Bart King Award winner in MLC is a match-winner for his batting alone and also can do it with the ball and was a major reason why San Francisco Unicorns went from missing the playoffs in year one to a finalist in year two and a top-half of the table team again in 2025. His ability to influence matches as a finisher is something USA hasn’t had on a regular basis in T20 cricket since Timroy Allen. He’s also a superb fielder. 
 
8 Harmeet Singh – The preferred choice to bowl left-arm spin in tandem with Hassan. Harmeet was the best bowler on a bad Seattle Orcas team, finishing with nine wickets. Since making his USA debut in 2024, he’s been a consistent threat with the ball and a match-winner on several occasions. He also has the capacity to be floated up the order for matchups against spinners as a left-hand bat considering USA’s current setup lacks enough quality left-hand batting options. 
 
9 Ian Holland – The allrounder was USA’s best player at his last T20 tournament appearance for the country in the 2021 ICC Americas T20 World Cup Regional Qualifier in Antigua, and the subsequently struggled badly to replicate his contributions when he was absent from the global qualifier the following year in Zimbabwe. He showed in 2025 MLC why he’s a must pick player with his unique array of slower balls that turn into wicket-taking deliveries. The 2024 T20 World Cup clashed with his County cricket commitments and he was not considered. He won't have that issue with next year's event taking place in February-March. 
 
10 Saurabh Netravalkar – Like Gous, Netravalkar had a comparatively underwhelming 2025 MLC – nine wickets at an average of 38.11 – compared to the dizzying heights he reached throughout the summer of 2024 both for USA at the T20 World Cup and again later that summer for the champion Washington Freedom squad. Still, there’s no better left-arm pacer in the USA than Netravalkar considering all the skill and experience he brings to the table. 
 
11 Ali Khan – The 34-year-old fast bowler had a poor 2025 MLC, dealing with a back injury for part of the tournament before being dropped back to the bench at the tail end of the campaign by LA Knight Riders. However, he remains USA’s most potent raw pace weapon and has demonstrated time and again during his USA and T20 franchise career that he is a champion match-winner, which is why he was a unanimous pick across the panel to be in the starting XI. 
 
Reserves
 
Rushil Ugarkar – The 22-year-old was hitting as high as 87 mph on the stadium radar gun during MLC, but his unique selling point was the skill and execution with which he delivered his slower balls at the death. His final-over showdown against Glenn Maxwell in the tournament final also demonstrated uncanny poise and confidence, intangible traits that are hard to find in a player 10 years older than him let alone someone playing in just his 10^th professional T20 match. His playoff run in MLC for eventual champion Mumbai Indians had the entire panel convinced that he should be in the 15-man squad at a minimum. 
 
Nosthush Kenjige – Kenjige has been in and out of USA’s T20 starting XI over the last year – he followed up a three-wicket performance against Pakistan in USA’s epic win in Texas at the T20 World Cup by being dropped for the following match against India in New York in what were seam-friendly conditions – but he’s a must not just for his bowling skill but his quality fielding, non-stop hustle, work ethic and overall positive attitude. It’s no coincidence that MI New York’s turnaround in fortunes began when Kenjige became healthy enough to take the field again after a hand injury kept him out of the California leg of the tournament. His winning mentality is also highlighted by being a part of two title-winning MI New York squads. 
 
Aaron Jones – Though he’s fallen back slightly in the batting pecking order in part due to a lack of consistency in the T20 format, Jones has match-winning capabilities that are hard to find in the USA. His 94* off 40 balls against Canada on T20 World Cup opening night might unfairly be the measuring stick which all of his other innings will always be compared to during the times when his production has waned, but that performance as well as the subsequent knock against Pakistan – including the Super Over – are key reasons why he must be given every opportunity to remain in a USA World Cup squad so he can be called upon if others lose form mid-tourney. 
 
Shadley van Schalkwyk – The allrounder plugs several key holes. He has T20 World Cup experience and is a consistent – albeit expensive at times – wicket-taker. Aside from his bowling, his left-handed batting also offers the team an option to combat left-arm spin heavy bowling opposition. In the same vein as Kenjige, van Schalkwyk is also a hugely positive mentor in any team he’s involved with. 
 
Traveling reserves
 
Ali Sheikh – Frustratingly, the left-arm spinning all-rounder did not make it into the starting XI in a bad Orcas team. However, he’s shown early in his USA career that he can be a match-winner not just with the ball but also for his explosive left-handed power-hitting as a finisher. Aside from that, he’s arguably the best fielder in America and worth including if he can impact a match simply by coming on for a few overs as a sub fielder. Several others were in consideration for this batting/allrounder slot – Calvin Savage, Obus Pienaar, Shayan Jahangir – but Sheikh’s complete package in subcontinental conditions gets my vote. 
 
Corne Dry – Only played a handful of matches this year for Knight Riders in MLC and has yet to make a USA debut, but he’s been hovering around the USA radar for a few years now and offers something slightly different with his pace, height and bounce. Others in consideration for this slot were Carmi Le Roux and Brody Couch. If Netravalkar were to go down, the argument would be to bring in Le Roux as a like-for-like left-arm pace replacement. Similarly, if Ali Khan goes down injured, Brody Couch would be the preferred replacement for his raw pace.