USA all-rounder Nisarg Patel competed in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka at the age of 18.
He greeted all three Indian players, including all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and skipper Rohit Sharma, even though they were losing all three games. Currently, eighteen years later, he plays for the senior USA squad.
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At the age of just eighteen, USA all-rounder Nisarg Patel traveled to Sri Lanka in 2006 for the Under-19 World Cup.
Prominent athletes from many countries competed in the tournament, including all-around sensation Ravindra Jadeja and current Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
After playing three games and losing them all, the USA team—which was drawn into Group B alongside South Africa, Australia, and the West Indies—was eliminated from the competition early.
Even with the dismal result, Nisarg got to see the whole Indian team as he greeted Rohit and Jadeja before heading back to the States.
Eighteen years later, Nisarg, a senior member of the USA squad, is looking forward to seeing Jadeja and Rohit again.
India is in a good position to go to the Super Eights after winning their first two matches, while the USA needs to win one of the final two matches to advance to the next round of the major tournament, either against Ireland or India.
Nisarg, who has so far represented the USA in 41 ODIs and 21 T20Is, talked about a variety of topics, including playing cricket in the US, drop-in pitches, facing India, and meeting young Rohit and Jadeja at the U-19 World Cup.
The USA has played a really impressive T20 World Cup. We can’t wait. We have a fantastic chance to represent the US on this significant platform.
Nothing is more important to players than to represent their nation at the World Cup, and that is exactly what we are doing.
We now have the opportunity to play against India and Pakistan, two formidable teams.
We have played Canada and Ireland on numerous occasions. However, this is an entirely different experience.
How is the popularity of cricket in the United States of America, a country known for its love of the NFL, NBA, and Baseball? Huge crowds of people have gathered to see our matches. Everything is quite buzzy. This presents a chance to unite the entire community.
As players, all we want to do is go play cricket and have a great time. And that’s it. We are giving it our all because this is the first time we have had the chance to perform at a major event of this magnitude.
I just want to let you know that the US team and I are having fun playing cricket. Cricket in the US is thriving.
The United States will play India in their next game after defeating Pakistan. Are you targeting the wicket of any one Indian player in particular? I don’t go for players in particular. I enjoy contributing to my team’s success as a player. The game has a relatively brief format.
I really love it, whether it’s holding it tight, bowling well, getting important wickets, halting the flow of runs, scoring runs, causing runouts, or containing a batsman.
Of course, I’d want to get rid of Rohit Sharma or remove Virat Kohli. However, everything hinges on whether or not I bowl in the Powerplay.
I do well in any circumstance. During the 2006 U19 World Cup, I had the opportunity to meet and speak with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.
Could you name two Indian team members who are really important? Rohit Sharma, anywhere is a good place for him to perform. And it was none other than Bumrah who bowled. Give him any circumstance or requirement, and he will take wickets to win the match for you. That kind of player is him.
My cricket career began in India. I went to school at a boarding school in Vapi after being born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
I spent most of my cricketing career in Ahmedabad, before moving to the United States in 2003.
I started playing cricket in the United States, and in 2006, I was given the chance to play for the United States at the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
I got to play with players like Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, David Warner, and many more, against teams like Australia and South Africa.
I also had the honor of meeting and speaking with Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma at the World Cup.
It was priceless to have played international cricket at such a young age. I was then picked for the senior USA squad, and I have since participated in about 70–80 games for them
Who or what inspires you, and why? I began playing when Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and Sachin Tendulkar were playing. At first, I had respect for Dada (Ganguly). He was a real leader and an inspiration to me.
I saw the period of players like Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni as time went on. I think highly of MS Dhoni.
I admire his demeanor both on and off the field, his ability to manage teammates, and his hitting skill in turning games around. He is really remarkable and really grounded.
He has made a significant impact on cricket. As an all-rounder in cricket, Ravindra Jadeja is someone I admire. I watch and study his game very carefully. My excitement is building for our meeting.
Could you talk about your meeting with the great Shane Warne and batting genius Sachin Tendulkar? The great Shane Warne and the renowned Sachin Tendulkar were members of the Legends Masters League when it was held in the USA. We got to meet them and pick their brains about important cricket lessons. In that league, I bowled as a net bowler, facing legends like Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, and many more. They taught me a lot about life events.
Regarding the drop-in pitches, what do you think? I haven’t previously played on drop-in pitches. We have never done this before. All I’ve been told is that they’re real duds. All batsmen, fast bowlers, and spinners gain from them. All we’ve been told is that these are actual, thrilling wickets.
Were the Americans sure they could pull off upsets against elite teams, the way they had against Pakistan? We felt secure, particularly given our staff. We are a well-rounded team with seasoned players who can function in any circumstance.
They can perform under duress and help us win games. Although performing on a large platform, particularly in front of a packed stadium, is not easy, our team is capable of handling it. They are capable of performing in any circumstance.