USA Cricket has announce the final Team USA U19 squad to represent the USA in the ICC Americas’ Regional Qualifier this summer in Toronto, who will attempt to qualify to the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2020 in South Africa.
There was an initial selection camp held in Ft. Lauderdale from February 7-10, 2019 where 50 invited players were asked to demonstrate their skills, fitness and commitment to the selection process. After this camp, a reduced squad of 25 was selected for a final training camp held last weekend from May 3-5 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The extended squad of 25 must all be praised for their effort and commitment over the training camp weekend, which included a very high quality playing standard that made the final selection for the ICC Americas’ Regional Qualifier a particularly difficult one.
Discussing the final 14 player squad, USA Cricket Chairman of Selectors Ricardo Powell said, “It was an incredible weekend in Raleigh and Coach Anand and the selectors were extremely impressed by the depth of talent on the field from the 25 players. We are certain we have the right balance in this squad to take to Toronto and I want to congratulate and thank not just the 14 boys selected but all the athletes who were part of this process so far for their dedication and commitment. These are exciting times for cricket in the USA and these boys can definitely make up the next generation of Team USA players.”
The Team USA Under 19 Head Coach, Anand Tummala, is happy with his squad for the crucial qualifiers, “I said that we would have some tough decisions to make after this weekend and that was certainly true. Having to bring forward the best combination of players needed at this point from last weekend’s final selection camp was not easy at all. I am really pleased though with the 14 players we have selected now to make up the Team USA Under 19 Squad and we are all incredibly focused on bringing USA back to the U19 World Cup stage, where we belong. We’ve been inspired by the senior Team USA’s efforts on the pitch in Namibia in obtaining One Day International status, and we know the task we have at hand now with this wonderful group of young cricketers that I’m proud to bring to Toronto to represent the USA.”
Team USA U19 squad:
Abhiram Valisammagari (DYCL Knights, Dallas Cricket League)
Ali Sheikh (Dallas Youth Cricket League Knights, Dallas Cricket League)
Aman Patel (CricMax, NYCL)
Joshua Kind (Topeka CC, Midwest Cricket League)
Majjid Zubair (Smartchoice Sports Club, Houston Cricket League)
Rahul Jariwala (CCA U18, California Cricket Academy)
Raj Vyas (SCCAY, Southern California Cricket Association)
Rehman Dar (Grand Prairie CC, North Texas Cricket Association)
Saiteja Reddy Mukkamalla (CricMax, NYCL)
Sakthi Karimanal (CCA U18, California Cricket Academy)
Sanjay Stanley (Lions Cricket Club, Triangle Cricket League)
Shashank Vittaladevaram (CCA U18, California Cricket Academy)
Sohan Bhat (Marin-1, Northern California Cricket Association)
Vatsal Vaghela (Marin-1, Northern California Cricket Association)