Former India U-19 Star Left Out Of USA Squad For Canada T20Is

Unmukt Chand has been overlooked for selection in the USA's T20I squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Canada.

Captain Unmukt Chand #9 of the Silicon Valley Strikers positions his fields during the Minor League Cricket Pacific Conference Final between the Silicon Valley Strikers and Seattle Thunderbolts at Church Street Park on August 27, 2022 in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Source : Getty

Unmukt Chand has been excluded from the USA's 15-member squad for their T20 series against Canada, scheduled to commence from April 7 in Houston. This omission deals a significant blow to Chand's aspirations of featuring in the T20 World Cup 2024 for the USA. Nevertheless, former Delhi and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Milind Kumar secured a spot in the squad alongside former New Zealand star Corey Anderson.

The T20I series between USA and Canada is set to commence on Sunday, April 7 at the Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston, where all five matches will take place. Subsequent matches will be held on April 9, April 10, April 12, and April 13.

Unmukt Chand Excluded From USA Squad For Canada T20s

Unmukt Chand, renowned for his stint with India in the U19 World Cup 2012, holds the distinction of being the second highest run-scorer in the history of the Minor League Cricket (MiLC). Over three seasons, the right-handed batsman amassed 1500 runs in 45 innings. This development poses a significant setback for Unmukt Chand, who retired from Indian cricket in August 2021 and relocated to the USA with the ambition of playing international cricket. 

Unmukt Chand's exclusion from the USA squad can be attributed to his performance in the National T20 and the subsequent three practice games held during the training camp. The former player for Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, Chand failed to make significant scores in these matches. However, he managed to redeem himself by scoring 70 runs in the final game of the training camp, which boosted his chances for selection but ultimately wasn't enough to secure his spot in the squad.

Milind Kumar Gets A Place In The USA Squad

Milind Kumar earns his place in the squad due to his consistently impressive performances in the MiLC, where he has scored over 1100 runs in 35 innings. Additionally, his noteworthy contributions for the Texas Super Kings with a couple of gritty innings also bolstered his selection.

USA Squad For T20I Series vs Canada

Monank Patel (captain), Aaron Jones (vice captain), Corey Anderson, Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel, Steven Taylor, Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Nostush Kenjige, Milind Kumar, Nitish Kumar, Usman Rafiq