Cricket players from Pakistan and India unite for the USA’s T20 World Cup goal.

The cricket world spent most of the previous century trying to rekindle the passion for a game that was first played formally in New York City in the 1800s.

Archives contain allusions to the fact that cricket originated in the United States before it did anywhere else in the world.

Now that the US has been granted co-hosting rights for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, the sport is returning to the country.

Fifteen guys from various origins who are US citizens will be arranged in a line beneath the nation’s flag. Out of the fifteen, eleven are members of the vibrant South Asian community, with roots in Pakistan and India.

Although the two South Asian countries are fierce competitors, the hostility disappears when the players congregate in the Team USA locker room. The coach of the USA, Stuart Law, tells Al Jazeera, “The respect is evident.”

Law stated, “They [the players] are fighting for the stars and stripes and they just want to put on a good show for the American people. They are not representing India or Pakistan—or the West Indies or South Africa.” “You wouldn’t know it, but we are all from different backgrounds and cultures,” he remarked.

India-born Monank Patel will lead the USA, and Pakistan-born Ali Khan is their star pacer. The team also includes Corey Anderson, a former superstar from New Zealand who is renowned for his powerful hitting and his historic 2014 one-day international (ODI) innings that broke all previous records.

Incidentally, the USA’s T20 World Cup group includes matches against both Pakistan and India. Law, a former international for Australia, says his role will be to remind the players to represent the US well whether playing their home nations or their relatives’ home countries.

The 55-year-old thinks the cricket team would have done “a really good job” if they could show and share their accomplishment to “the people of America.” “This is a chance to put on a great show and spark interest in cricket in this nation,” Law remarked.

A few weeks prior to the competition, the former coach of the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka accepted the position in the USA, but that didn’t stop him from researching the prospects for cricket in the US.

The cherry on top would be to have an American-born, -raised, and -trained team representing the United States in five to ten years. That would truly be the fulfillment of a dream.

Law was first brought in to assist with choosing the side, but his responsibilities were progressively increased until April, when he was appointed. He acknowledges that the way the players meet together for training “isn’t very structured.”

He said, “They need to get together and organize it themselves if they want to go hit balls.” They are essentially semiprofessional cricket players because many of them continue to work full-time jobs and play just when the team needs them.

It was a pleasant surprise, though, to see them act more professionally than some of the seasoned pros I’ve worked with in the past.

Although it is unrealistic to expect the USA to pull off many shocks against formidable opponents like Pakistan and India, they did manage to stun another formidable South Asian team in the weeks preceding the World Cup. Bangladesh was defeated 2-1 by the co-hosts in their three-match Twenty20 series.

It would be fantastic if Law’s team could “cause a few scares” in their four group matches, even though he is aware that they “are not going to lift the trophy at the end of the World Cup.”

The two other teams in USA’s Group A are Canada, their northern neighbors, and Ireland, another ICC full member, with whom they will begin both their campaign and the competition on June 1.

The United States of America lost their first-ever cricket match over a century ago, and it was against the same opponents.

A thrilling victory in a rematch that takes place in the center of the Texas South Asian population and marks the beginning of their first ICC World Cup competition might be exactly what US cricket needs.

Corey Anderson: Considering the strong batter’s reputation in New Zealand, the USA’s capture of Anderson was a huge coup. In 2014, the left-hander achieved the milestone off of just 36 balls, shattering the previous global record for the fastest ODI century.

Only lately has the 33-year-old qualified for the national team. He went to the US in 2021 and has been a regular in Major League Cricket.

Monak Patel: an important component of Team USA’s performances, Patel is a stalwart, captain, and wicketkeeper.

The 31-year-old, who was born in Gujarat, India, played for his state’s under-16 and under-19 teams before relocating to the US, where he made his debut in 2018.

Ali Khan: The fast bowler won player of the match after his 3-25 against Bangladesh helped to seal the three-match series.

The 33-year-old, who was born in Punjab, Pakistan, had a successful and lengthy career in the Pakistan Super League before earning a deal with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.