Saurabh Netravalkar moved to the United States in 2015. He is 23 years old and has accepted a difficult reality. He will not become a professional cricketer.
“It was a very emotional call,” Netravalkar said. in an interview last year. “I packed my bags and moved to America to study. I never dreamed that I would play cricket again. I didn’t even bring cricket shoes.”
A decade later and Netravalkar was at the peak of his form at the World Cup, tasked with bowling. Super over Pakistan that would give US cricket the biggest win in their history.
“It is a humbling feeling that life has given me a second chance to pursue what I love,” said Netravalkar. “And I really felt that happiness as soon as I stepped onto the field to play competitive cricket.”
When Netravalkar bowled, happiness was evident. Ten minutes earlier, Pakistan Mohammad Amir, a veteran of over 100 international matches and the 2009 T20 World Cup champion, lost his cool during a 9-ball over for 18. But Netravalkar, a veteran of eight years working at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, where he continues to work full time, has kept his spirits up. Dot, four, wide, wicket and the match is over.
To this day, Netravalkar’s Twitter bio lists his roles as Principal Member of Technical Staff at Oracle, first class, and Professional Cricketer at USA Cricket, second class. It’s time to exchange people around.
For many, the results were confirmation of what they already knew. The potential of cricket in this country is immense, with the challenge being to exploit it.
Those facts were made clear after Netravalkar’s sealing victory. A historic victory, bringing a sense of relief as well as explosive joy.
The United States took full credit for their victory. And if they don’t cross the line, the reaction won’t be pats on the back and better luck next time but a loss on the part of quality professionals about the opportunity they missed. After Pakistan’s first eight overs, the visitors were 40 for 3. And with seven overs against the United States, they were 104 for 1 and had just 56 left to win.
On both occasions, Pakistan pulled away, but far from being a day that belonged solely to Netravalkar, this was a day that highlighted the depth of US cricket and its ability to underplay the big names.
For all the noise about swingers like Corey Anderson, who toppled nations after a successful international career with New Zealand, this was a victory without Anderson. His only contribution to the match was a single hit for six runs.
Instead, the heroes are lesser-known characters like captains Monk Patelwho made 50 out of 38 balls, Nosthush Kenjige And Nitish Kumar.
Kenjige, born in Alabama but raised in Karnataka, took 3 for 30 in the first match of the competition. He moved back to the United States in 2015 and worked as a hospital technician. When he decided he wanted to qualify for the United States again as a cricketer, he would work 9 to 5 before driving to the indoor center from 6 to 10 to complete the 800 hours of training required to demonstrate to the ICC that someone has a “commitment to the local community.” This is not a team of people mumbling the national anthem with a new badge on their chests, but a group of players living out, if not their childhood dreams, then their adult dreams. Surname.
That context applies to Nitishwho was born in Canada and represented them at the 2011 ODI World Cup as a 16-year-old, before switching countries in 2020.
The World Cup offers a chance for everyone to realize their dreams, but it also gives a chance for everyone to realize their nightmares. And with one round remaining for the United States, Nitish experienced the latter.
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Mumtaz: Kenjige is here for the long haul
The US left-handed batsman scored 3 for 30 against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup
Finishing at number 5 with 49 required in 35 balls, he crossed the line for 10 not out off a tortured 13. On the last ball of the innings, he hit a low throw at mid-off and reached the boundary to force a Super Over. And three balls later, he took a spectacular catch at long-off, sealing their victory. He will remember this day for the rest of his life, and luckily, for more good reasons than bad.
Yet throughout the hysteria and joy there was also a reminder of the challenges facing cricket in America. Five days ago, Aaron Jones, who shone again here with 35 off 25 before playing the decisive batting role in the Super Over, inspired a roaring stadium with rounds of life.
Saturday night’s boundary-pushing fist pumps returned this Thursday afternoon, but instead of attracting an adoring home crowd, they were defiant in front of a less-attended stadium, mainly pro-Pakistan.
“We knew we didn’t have the support of the crowd,” captain Patel said after the match. “Pakistan gets more support from the crowd and I think it will backfire on them…they will come under more pressure.”
This World Cup in the United States is primarily about exploiting the interest that already exists here rather than expanding it. A position that has practical strengths but also weaknesses.
For example, the broadcaster broadcasting the World Cup in North America is Willow. A channel dedicated to cricket which if you are a current fan is gold dust as it covers almost every match happening on the planet. But if you’re not an existing fan, you don’t even stand a chance of accidentally scrolling up to it while flipping through channels. You won’t even know it’s not there.
America loves a winner. But most of America doesn’t know that they now have one on their cricket team. Through Major League Cricket and the national team, they have the money and quality to take care of the game at short notice. And in growing diaspora communities like the Nepali community saw 5,500 people show up came to the middle of Texas to watch their match against the Netherlands, they were really interested and passionate to follow this match in the long run.
Not only does it have the opportunity to grow the game, American cricket also has a responsibility, because if they get it right, this is a fairy tale that is just beginning.
