The US team’s success was, in large part, due to the foreign-born cricketers who ended up playing for the team.
Expatriate cricketer
What ultimately guaranteed the US qualification was a head-to-head match with Pakistan, which ended in a super-over. Defending 18 runs, Saurabh Netravalkar hit the decisive blow. Born in Mumbai, Netravalkar was once destined to don the Indian blue, even representing the Indian U-19 team in 2010, where he played alongside the likes of KL Rahul and Harshal Patel. But fate brought him to the US, where he is now a part-time cricketer and full-time software engineer at Oracle.
Standing in the middle, chatting with Netravalkar during the super over, was Corey Anderson, once a phenomenal New Zealand player, best remembered for his incredible 37-ball century in a rain-curtailed ODI against the West Indies in 2014.
In fact, almost the entire American team is made up of players who began their cricketing journeys elsewhere. Captain Monak Patel represents Gujarat at junior level; All-rounder Harmeet Singh was Netravalkar’s teammate in India and Mumbai’s U-19 teams; offie Milind Kumar born in Delhi; fast bowler Ali Khan and batsman Shayan Jahangir were born in Pakistan; batsman Andries Gous and all-rounder Shadley van Schalkwyk were born in South Africa; and flamboyant six-hitter Aaron Jones was born in Barbados.
Change citizenship
Countries are allowed to field players born abroad based on specific rules in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player’s Handbook.
For someone like Netravalkar, who has no previous international experience at senior level, ICC residency rules apply. According to Section 3.1 of the Handbook (“Player Eligibility”), players must reside in their new country for at least three consecutive years before they can represent that country in international play. The three-year term ensures that the move is “genuine” and not just a short-term deal for the player to play for another team.
In the case of Anderson, Section 3.2 of this Handbook is applicable. This provision states that players who have previously represented another country in an official ICC senior level match (Test, ODI or T20I) must wait three years from their last international appearance before they can play for a new national team. This prevents opportunistic transitions, for example changing citizenship after removal.
For ICC member associations, which consist of countries with weaker teams and less developed cricket cultures, the rules are even more accommodating, with lower residency requirements and quicker eligibility. This allows countries like the US to attract quality and experienced talent and grow the game in their region.
This rule emerged in the early 2000s, when cricket witnessed global expansion and player movement soared.
Not without detractors
However, the rule allowing players to change their nationality is not without criticism. Many argue that small countries can actually be exploited due to citizenship switches, and players use it as a stepping stone to eventually playing for a big team.
Take for example Eoin Morgan, arguably Ireland’s most talented cricketer, who eventually became England captain and led the team to World Cup glory in 2019. Or Singapore-born cricketer, Tim David, who had impressed in a minor team previously. switch to Australia.
There are also concerns that experienced players from more established cricket nations may crowd out local talent to emerge in emerging cricket nations. Nonetheless, experienced professionals playing for these countries also raise the standard of competition, provide guidance for local talent, and raise the profile of the sport in the country.
As more and more countries choose cricket, the ICC must continue to strike a balance between preserving the integrity of the sport and facilitating its growth.
(Intern writer at The Indian Express)
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