Jayasuriya makes USA World Cup squad after late disruption

USA have announced their 15-man squad for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, becoming the final team among the 20 participants to confirm their roster following a period of administrative uncertainty and a late development that disrupted their selection plans.

That development emerged on Wednesday, when the ICC charged former USA captain Aaron Jones with multiple counts relating to fixing. Jones, who had been widely regarded as a certainty for the final squad, was subsequently ruled out of World Cup contention, forcing USA's selectors into a late revision of their plans. His omission has created an opening for former Sri Lanka international Shehan Jayasuriya, who returns to international cricket with USA.

Jayasuriya's inclusion marks a notable development in his career trajectory. The 34-year-old allrounder was left undrafted for the 2025 Major League Cricket season after making two appearances for Seattle in 2024, including a half-century. He is now in line to feature in USA's group-stage match against Pakistan in Colombo, which would see him play an international fixture in his country of birth.

Jayasuriya is among several new inclusions in the squad. The selectors have also handed a maiden call-up to Mohammad Mohsin, a 29-year-old leg-spinning allrounder who previously represented Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. A regular for Texas Super Kings in domestic T20 competitions, Mohsin is yet to make his international debut but became eligible for selection after completing residency requirements. Former Mumbai and Maharashtra allrounder Shubham Ranjane has also been included following a series of appearances for USA in the ODI format and a productive stint with the Johannesburg Super Kings.

There was no place in the squad for former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, despite his consistent performances in Major League Cricket. His omission appears to reflect USA's focus on integrating younger players into the T20I setup. That approach is led by Sai Mukkamalla, who has been among USA's most productive batters since recording a half-century on debut against Canada following the 2024 T20 World Cup. Mukkamalla has since emerged as the team's leading run-scorer in the format, with an average of 42 and a strike rate exceeding 150. He is joined by 22-year-old Sanjay Krishnamurthy, a regular on the T20 franchise circuit and regarded as one of the cleanest strikers in American cricket.

One of the more notable omissions is fast bowler Rushil Ugarkar. The MI New York pacer was the standout performer of the 2025 Major League Cricket season, earning the Most Valuable Player and Best Under-23 Player awards. Ugarkar played a key role in MI New York's title-winning campaign, including decisive final-over performances, and later produced a five-wicket haul against UAE in his most recent ODI for USA. His exclusion from the World Cup squad is among the more surprising selection calls.

Despite the changes, captain Monank Patel continues to lead a core group that featured prominently during USA's run at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Vice-captain Jessy Singh, along with Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Milind Kumar, Andries Gous and Harmeet Singh, provide continuity within the squad. This group formed the backbone of the team that was named Associate Team of the Year in 2025, despite ongoing governance issues and the suspension of USA Cricket.

USA have been placed in Group A, alongside India, Pakistan, Netherlands and Namibia. They begin their campaign against co-hosts India in Mumbai on February 7, before facing Pakistan in Colombo on February 10. Their remaining group fixtures will be played in Chennai, against Netherlands on February 13 and Namibia on February 15.

USA Squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup: Monank Patel (capt), Jasdeep Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shubham Ranjane