It is time to get ready for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The whole cricket world will get busy with the upcoming mega event. There will be 55 matches that will be played between 20 teams in the tournament. 17 out of 20 teams have already played the T20 World Cup previously, while three teams will be making their first ever appearance in the ICC T20 event.
The USA will be one of them. They are in Group A, along with India, Pakistan, Canada, and Ireland. The USA and West Indies are the official hosts of the T20 World Cup 2024. The first match of the tournament will be played on June 1 between the USA and Canada at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. Monank Patel will be leading his country in this historic tournament. So let’s do the SWOT analysis of the USA for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Squad: Monank Patel (captain), Aaron Jones (vc), Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Milind Kumar, Nitish Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Noshtush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir.
Reserves: Juanoy Drysdale, Gajanand Singh, Yasir Mohammad.
USA’s Strength for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024
1. Home Conditions
The conditions in any big tournament always play an important role for the participating teams. That is why the hosts always perform well because they know the conditions pretty well. It will be the biggest advantage for the USA, as they will be playing all of their group matches at home. They know the conditions well, and it is the first time that the USA will host an ICC event, which means not many teams have played cricket in these conditions.
2. Form on their side
This will be a big tournament for the USA, as they have never featured in a T20 World Cup. But it doesn’t mean that the opposition can write them off. They have brought together a great squad that can challenge them. This team is coming off a historic series win against Bangladesh a week ago, which must have boosted their confidence. They have momentum on their side and can challenge any big team on their day.
USA’s Weaknesses for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024
1. Not Much International Exposure
The USA have some really good players who can turn things around on their own, but one thing is sure: playing cricket gives you more experience, and you can learn to deal with the pressure. But that is not the case with USA. They made their T20I debut in 2019 and have played only 28 T20Is so far. But they will be playing against the teams that have played way more games than them. So it can become a deciding factor for them.
2. In Experienced batting unit
USA have a few players that are likely to do the bulk of the scoring. Players like Aaron Jones, Steven Taylor, and Corey Anderson are the key to their batting. A lot depends on their performances, but these players can’t perform in every single game, which will expose their inexperienced batting unit. Hence, the biggest worry is the batting collapse they might have under pressure, because big teams won’t give you another chance to come back.
Threat for USA in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024
This is the first time that USA are playing on such a big stage. Hence, the pressure will be immense. Furthermore, when they face teams that are the test-playing nations, that will bring more pressure on expectations. And some teams crumble under pressure, which can push them on the backfoot. So this international and external pressure will be the biggest threat for this team in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Opportunities Ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024
Yes, they are hosting a big tournament and will be making their debut. This will put pressure on them, but these guys are professionals, and one can expect them to play freely because it can bring the best out of them. The biggest opportunity for USA is to do well in their maiden attempt and try to put on a great show. If they can somehow qualify for the Super 8, it will be immense, but winning a couple of matches can certainly give them a kick.
Strongest Playing XI for United States (USA) in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 (Predicted)
Steven Taylor, Aaron Jones, Gajanand Singh, Andries Gous, Monank Patel (c & wk), Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Jasdeep Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige