USA’s Netravalkar Focused on Representing Country, Embraces ‘Full Circle Moment’ at Wankhede
Mumbai, India – – As the USA prepares for its opening match of the 2026 T20 World Cup against India at the Wankhede Stadium, fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar emphasized the team’s singular focus: representing the United States. This comes amid ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, and uncertainty surrounding the India-Pakistan match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, after Pakistan reportedly refused to participate.
Netravalkar, speaking on , a day before the highly anticipated opener, stated that discussions surrounding India-Pakistan relations have never been a topic within the US team, despite the diverse backgrounds of many players. “Yes we have players from all parts of the world. We gel and bond together because of our love for the game. And no I don’t think we have ever discussed the India-Pakistan issues amongst ourselves. I don’t think so at least. We are all proud to play for USA and that’s what we focus on,” he said.
He reiterated the team’s unity, stating, “We are a group of people from multiple countries across the group and what brings us together is the love of the game. We are proud to represent the USA.”
For Netravalkar, the match holds a particularly poignant significance. Having grown up in Mumbai and honed his cricketing skills at the Wankhede Stadium, playing at the venue represents a deeply personal milestone. “It feels like a full circle moment for me because I learnt my cricket here. I grew up in Mumbai, and getting an opportunity to play at Wankhede, which has been my dream since childhood as well. So nostalgic, emotional, (and) good to see (it happening). I’m looking forward to my family, friends to be there, and I’ll give my best,” the 34-year-old explained.
The USA squad benefits from the presence of other players with Mumbai connections, including Harmeet Singh and Shubham Ranjane, providing some familiarity with Indian conditions. However, Netravalkar acknowledged the evolution of the game. “It definitely helps, but frankly speaking, it’s been a long time. Like, I last played in India in 2014, 2015, things have changed drastically. The game itself has changed drastically. It’s become so much more aggressive from the better’s perspective, so I wouldn’t compare it. Yes, the experience helps, but the game is very different,” he said.
Netravalkar was a key player in the US team’s historic victory over Pakistan in Dallas a couple of years ago, claiming 2 for 18 in four overs. Looking ahead to the matches on Indian pitches, he anticipates a different approach. “The focus will more be on minimising the damage, like you’re saying (Notice) high scoring pitches here. Every ball that we bowl, (it should be) to the field, as long as we bowl to the field, we bowl to our matchups and maximise our chances. Defence might be the best attack on this kind of pitches and hopefully we induce a mistake on a false shot, that’s the best we can do as bowlers on these wickets,” he stated.
Netravalkar previously played three matches for Mumbai in first-class cricket before relocating to the United States in 2015 to pursue a graduate degree at Cornell University. His journey reflects a unique path to representing the USA on the international stage, culminating in a return to the city where his cricketing dreams first took root.
