USA announce squad for T20 World Cup 2026; Aaron Jones dropped after being banned, Saurabh Netravalhar picked
USA named a 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 starting Feb 7. Aaron Jones was dropped after receiving an anti-corruption ban, while Saurabh Netravalkar has been picked. USA open their campaign against India in Mumbai.
The United States have named a 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7. Captain Monank Patel leads a group that shows strong continuity from the previous edition, with 10 players retaining their places from the 2024 tournament. Those continuing in the squad are Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Nethravalkar and Ali Khan.
The most notable omission is Aaron Jones, who was among the USA’s most reliable performers, particularly during the 2024 World Cup. The 31-year-old has been left out after being charged with breaching the ICC and Cricket West Indies anti-corruption codes, an offence that has resulted in a ban.
Jones has featured in 48 T20 internationals for the United States, scoring 770 runs at a strike rate of 114.58, and his absence represents a significant loss to the batting line-up ahead of the global tournament.
USA begin their campaign against India
USA have been drafted in group A, along with India, Pakistan, Netherlands and Namibia. They will begin their campaign on the opening day itself against host India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Next up, the Monank Patel-led side will play Pakistan on February 10, Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15.
Ahead of the tournament, USA will also play three warm-up games against India A, Nepal and New Zealand. It will allow the squad to get used to the conditions and finalise their XI, especially after Jones was ruled out.
Meanwhile, the tournament will mark the return of Saurabh Netravalkar to India. The pacer played for India in U19 level and was a force to reckon with in the last edition. He will surely be one to look out for USA in the forthcoming tournament.
Squad: Monank Patel (C), Jessy 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.