It was a bittersweet flight back for the USA after they were eliminated from the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Pakistan confirmed their flight home after comfortably sweeping Namibia by 102 runs in the final group game, taking the last available spot in the Super Eight stage. The Americans bowed out of the T20 World Cup with two wins and two losses, falling to giants India and Pakistan and defeating fellow associate sides Netherlands and Namibia.

While the elimination came sooner than their home campaign in 2024, which lasted until the Super Eight stage, this year’s run in the Indian subcontinent may be just as meaningful for the United States to reflect on. From briefly putting defending champions and hosts India in a chokehold to convincingly thumping similarly matched associate opposition, there were simply too many high points to count. Individually, there was no shortage of standout performances either, with Shadley van Schalkwyk’s bowling exploits placing him atop the tournament’s wickets chart with 13 dismissals as of February 25, with the competition well into the Super Eight round.

“They’re used to playing in front of 30 fans,”⁠ said American cricket journalist Peter Della Penna on Wisden Cricket’s The Scoop, about the USA national team’s usual exposure to spectators at home in contrast to a packed Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

“To have that exposure and not just be there and be kind of the token participant, they played India very tough and I think they gained a lot of respect from people around the cricket world.”

“They played India very tough in New York as well”, added Della Penna about the USA vs India game at the 2024 edition.

“I think a lot of people felt like, ‘oh well, USA was only competitive in that match because it was played on a garbage wicket.’ You can’t really argue the same in India when India is playing on home soil in their home conditions.”

“If it wasn’t for a couple of dropped chances, USA may very well have sprung an opening night upset.”

Beyond Van Schalkwyk’s dominance with the ball, the USA’s batting stars have not been foreign-born players with established records in their countries of origin, but rather homegrown talents who still have a long way to go in their careers. Corvallis, Oregon’s Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Plainsboro, New Jersey’s Saiteja Mukkamalla played match-winning knocks against Namibia and Netherlands, respectively. Krishnamurthi, 22, and Mukkamalla, 21, clearly have incredibly bright futures and signal one for USA cricket as well.

“Historically, you look at the composition of USA squads, and not denigrate them at all, but Saurabh Netravalkar, and Andries Gous they represent the status quo of USA Cricket selection,” said Della Penna.

“Over the course of several decades, they’ve relied on and depended on former first-class players from India, Pakistan, South Africa, Jamaica, Guyana, to come in and qualify on residency or through migration patterns. They’ve made up the bulk of not only USA squads, but the top performers in USA squads over the years.”

“When you mention the word ‘growth’, I look at the example of Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Sai(teja) Mukkamalla,” said Della Penna to The Scoop’s host, Phil Walker, about the American born youngsters.

“Seeing what Yuvraj Samra did for Canada as well. The only homegrown player in the Canada squad, born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, scoring the first ever century by an associate player in the T20 World Cup.”

“Those are the things that will give inspiration to youngsters in Canada and the USA going forward.”

This tournament has featured no shortage of associate nations producing magical moments. Nepal and debutants Italy came close to taking down England in the group stage. Canada and the UAE squared off strongly against New Zealand and South Africa. Even in the USA’s group, Netherlands nearly upset Pakistan in the tournament opener, and Namibia triggered a late collapse in the Indian batting order. In fact, the USA reigned supreme among associate members at this T20 World Cup, becoming the only one to win two games.

“The appetite exists. The potential is evident. If that broader pathway begins to take shape, the upsets that once felt fleeting could become part of a more competitive global game,” said Sahil Mathur and Shahan Acharya of Sportstar on the associate nations performances at the T20 World Cup.

So even if it was an early goodbye for the USA, there is no denying that change is already in motion. With cricket set to return to the Olympics in 2028, and with the USA hosting, it is highly likely the country will field a team. We may see the United States at a major cricket event sooner than expected, and by then, they may have enough to be not just underdogs, but genuine contenders.

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