USA skipper Monank Patel gears up for ‘homecoming’ in T20 World Cup 2026

Monank Patel planted his front foot and lofted a fuller-length delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi straight down the ground for six to bring up his half-century. It was an important milestone for the United States and its captain. Monank’s 50 off 38 balls guided his team to an eventual Super Over win in a 160-run chase against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup 2024 in Dallas.

In that game, USA openers Monank and Steven Taylor negated the early threat from Afridi and Mohammad Amir, putting up 44 inside the PowerPlay.

“We don’t face some teams often, so we do our homework through videos–studying key bowlers and batters, understanding patterns, and preparing accordingly,” Monank recalls.

“Before the Pakistan game, we knew Shaheen and Amir would swing the new ball back into the batter. So we trained specifically for that – not just to survive but to identify boundary options and counterattack,” he tells Sportstar.

The USA eventually qualified for the Super 8 in its maiden World Cup appearance, with wins against Canada and Pakistan in Group A. The finish also guaranteed automatic qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

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“Honestly, we weren’t surprised to qualify for the Super 8 because that was always the vision. And against Pakistan, we genuinely felt we would beat them,” the 32-year-old says.

Despite the challenges that come with being an associate nation, Monank insists the team doesn’t do anything drastically different in preparation, just ensuring that all bases are covered.

“Against strong teams, if you don’t get your basics right over 40 overs, it’s very hard to claw back. So we prepare properly, have clear plans, and focus on playing fearless cricket.”

The rise of T20 franchise leagues like Major League Cricket (MLC) has helped USA cricketers understand the demands of the modern game. “Exposure in leagues like MLC has helped everyone. It’s not just the games–it’s the training sessions, the conversations, watching experienced players prepare,” Monank says.

At MI New York, he shares the dressing room with Nicholas Pooran, Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, and Trent Boult. “They’re generous with their time, they observe us in nets, and their inputs have genuinely elevated individual and team performance over the last 2-3 years.”

In an MLC game against the Seattle Orcas, Monank smashed 93 off 50–the highest individual score by an American in the league–to chase down 201 with an over to spare. “I remember after my 93, Heinrich Klaasen (Orcas’ captain) told Mark Boucher it was one of the best innings he had seen. That was very motivating.”

Although Monank doesn’t discuss his batting deeply with many people, he has worked closely with Boucher, MI New York’s head coach, over the past year. “I asked him specific questions: how to approach the powerplay, what template suits me as an opener, and how to adapt in different situations. Those small discussions have had a big impact.”

Boucher also used an analogy that has stayed with him – being a fisherman or a hunter. “A hunter counterattacks in tough, bowler-friendly situations. A fisherman survives smartly, not passively, and then switches to attack. It’s about understanding when to play each role.”

Monank has absorbed that mindset seamlessly, whether in the Pakistan game or during MLC 2025, where he finished as the leading run-scorer with 478 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate above 142.

“I’m a quick learner and try to stay updated with what’s happening in world cricket,” says Monank, who has scored 920 T20I runs and 2288 runs in ODIs.

But even for him, conditions at home aren’t straightforward. Associate players seldom play under lights, and adapting is challenging, especially for openers. “MLC comes with challenges – limited preparation time, very few sessions under floodlights, and quick turnarounds,” he says.

“Even with the US team, we often have tight windows. We once landed in Dubai at 11:30 at night and played a 50-over match the next morning after a 13-14-hour flight. But we don’t complain. The passion and the vision we have for US cricket keep us going. Whatever the situation, we take it as an opportunity.”

Monank knows how to seize opportunities. Hailing from Anand district in Gujarat, he played age-group cricket with Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel before moving to the US in 2014 for better prospects. “The first year was tough–new environment, weather, culture. Cricket was only a four-month season where I lived, so I had to work to survive.”

He opened a restaurant in South Carolina for 15-18 months before moving to New Jersey to be with his ailing mother. He continued playing and became eligible for USA selection after completing the mandatory 30-month residency period.

“Even after joining the national team, it was financially difficult because we weren’t playing enough cricket. But as the team grew and results improved, support improved too, and we were eventually able to prepare professionally,” says Monank, who debuted for the USA in 2019.

His consistency eventually earned him the captaincy after Saurabh Netrawalkar stepped away to focus on his bowling. “Cricket keeps evolving every five years. If you ask me about captaincy inspiration, I look up to Rohit Sharma.”

“He’s honest, genuine, and the same person on and off the field. He doesn’t try to be anything extra. He just cares for the team, and you can see that in his leadership and batting.”

For Monank, leadership is built off the field, through bonding and trust. “We only meet 7–10 days before a series, so we try to bond well in that window. The core group has been together for two years, and that helps during high-pressure moments at bigger stages.”

In January, the USA team will be in Sri Lanka for a three-week training camp before heading to Mumbai for the marquee tournament, which starts on February 7. “Playing in India will be special. A beautiful venue, 40-50,000 fans, we don’t get this often.”

USA is placed with India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia in Group A. “You can’t hide your skills or play under pressure — that’s the mindset we carry.”

Will we see USA batters reverse-scooping fast bowlers? “You will, definitely,” Monank says, signing off.

Published on Dec 11, 2025