New Delhi, Jan 30 (NationPress) Shubham Ranjane, a former player for Mumbai in the Indian domestic cricket scene, is poised for his T20I debut after being included in the 15-member squad representing the United States of America (USA) at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, commencing in Sri Lanka and India on February 7.

The USA team finds itself in Group A, where they will compete against Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the reigning champions, India. To prepare for the World Cup, the USA has conducted an extensive training camp in Sri Lanka to adapt to the subcontinental environment.

The training sessions have focused on enhancing skills, increasing game awareness, and fostering team unity. The USA is set to kick off their campaign against India in Mumbai on February 7. “Our training in Sri Lanka has elevated this team tremendously. We achieved all our set objectives, reflecting the players’ commitment and effort,” stated head coach Pubudu Dassanayake in an ICC announcement on Friday.

Of the fifteen selected players, ten previously represented the USA in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, while Ranjane aims to make his international debut in this format, having already played four ODIs for the team. Alongside him, Mohammad Mohsin and Shehan Jayasuriya are also vying for their first international appearances for the USA.

This will mark the USA’s second participation in the tournament, following their impressive performance in 2024, where they shocked the 2009 champions, Pakistan, during their inaugural campaign on home soil and progressed to the Super 8 stage in the West Indies. The team, led by Monank Patel, aims to build upon that landmark achievement and make a significant impact again on the global stage.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board had previously suspended USA Cricket on September 23 last year due to serious breaches of membership criteria. In its ruling, the Board confirmed that national team players would not suffer penalties due to the organization's governance and financial issues, ensuring that U.S. teams would continue to participate in ICC events under global oversight.

With USA Cricket under suspension and having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the ICC has collaborated with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to create a new selection process. The aim, as stated by the ICC, is to guarantee transparency and a merit-based approach in selecting the best eligible players for the USA team in this major event.

“All members of the selection panel submitted Conflict of Interest forms to the USOPC before the meeting, and a Compliance Officer appointed by the USOPC observed the selection meeting to ensure compliance with the Cricket Selection Procedures,” the ICC further elaborated.

USA batter Aaron Jones, who participated in the training camp in Sri Lanka, was deemed ineligible for selection after facing charges from the ICC for five violations of the Anti-Corruption Code, leading to his suspension from all forms of cricket immediately.

USA squad: Monank Patel (captain), Jessy Singh (vice-captain), 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, and Shubham Ranjane.