Some players were looking for better opportunities after a good career in domestic cricket. Others were hoping for a fresh start in life. And some felt they were good at cricket but never got big chances. They played on lesser-known cricket fields on weekends.

These players are part of the USA team at their T20 World Cup debut. They surprised everyone by beating Pakistan, last time's finalists.

Monank Patel, the team's captain from Ahmedabad, stood out. He won the player of the match award for scoring fifty runs. He moved to New Jersey in 2016 after getting a Green Card in 2010, all to focus more on his cricket career.

Saurabh Netravalkar

Netravalkar is currently in the spotlight after performing exceptionally well in a cricket match, including a crucial Super Over. He also impressed by outplaying Mohammed Rizwan and tricking Iftikhar Ahmed with clever bowling moves. His story is about balancing his academic success with his passion for sports.

When he's not playing cricket, Netravalkar works as a senior tech professional at Oracle's office in Silicon Valley. His journey highlights his ability to succeed both in the academic and sports worlds.

Harmeet Singh

Ian Chappell wanted him to join the Indian team after he did really well in the 2012 U-19 World Cup. But like many talented young players, he lost his way. He got into trouble for driving a car inside a railway station and the police detained him. There were also stories about him being undisciplined, so Mumbai cricket stopped supporting him.

He moved to Tripura to play cricket professionally, but he didn't succeed much there. Then he decided to move to the United States, which turned out to be a good decision. He found his form again and has been one of the most reliable players, especially in a recent series against Bangladesh. His crucial performance in the Super Over, where he made extra runs with smart cricketing moves against Rizwan, showed how skilled he is.

Nosthush Kenjige

Kenjige's journey as a Tamil-American is intriguing. Originally from the southeastern US, he moved to Ooty as a child and started as a left-arm medium pacer. At 13, he switched to spin bowling. At 18, his family sent him to Bengaluru to play in KSCA's top league.

Realizing the challenge of breaking into Karnataka's state team, he returned to the US to study biomedical engineering. Initially done with cricket, his mother packed a cricket ball

in his suitcase. In Washington DC, he learned about club cricket in New York during squash games.

Milind Kumar

When Milind Kumar first arrived, many saw him as a promising talent in Delhi's cricket scene. However, within seven years, he ended up as a fringe player, often batting with the lower order in the Ranji Trophy. Moving to Sikkim in the Plate League and scoring over 1300 runs didn't bring the breakthrough he had hoped for.

After COVID-19, he moved to the US and performed well in domestic tournaments, earning a place in the national squad. Known for his exceptional fielding, even in Delhi, his skills shone brightly. His crucial catch, sprinting and diving forward from long-off during the Super Over against Pakistan, dashed their hopes.

Nitish Kumar

It's a great time to be Nitish Kumar, whether in India or the United States. Back in 2011, during the World Cup when MS Dhoni hit the winning six and Virat Kohli was rising as a star, young Nitish made history by becoming the youngest player to feature in a 50-over World Cup match at just 16 years and 283 days, playing for Canada against Zimbabwe.

Jaspreet "Jessy" Singh, born in New Jersey and raised in rural Punjab, returned to the US as a teenager, facing challenges and working hard for opportunities. In 2015, he was left out of the US team for a domestic 50-over competition in the West Indies. Determined, Jessy doubled his practice hours.

By 2016, under coach Pubudu Dassanayeke, he played five first-class matches in Sri Lanka, learning the value of hard work. In recent years, he has become a key part of the US pace attack alongside Pakistani Ali Khan. His delivery that dismissed Babar Azam is undoubtedly the highlight of his career so far.