United States of America captain Monank Patel has opened up about the atmosphere inside the team’s dressing room amid Indo-Pak tensions. Members of the USA squad participating in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to begin on February 7, are mostly of either Indian or Pakistani origin.
India decided not to exchange handshakes with Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2025 and followed the same approach throughout the tournament. The stance was not limited to the senior side, as India’s emerging team, U19 team, and women’s team also maintained the no-handshake policy against Pakistan.
Monank Patel Opens Up on Sharing Dressing Room With Pakistan-Origin Players
Monank Patel stated that there is strong unity within the United States team despite several players being born in India and Pakistan. He said nationality does not matter inside the team, as they play for one country with one shared goal.
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“There’s no Indian, no Pakistani when you represent the USA. Everyone is representing the country, and we’ve been playing together for a long time,” Monank Patel said.
“We are very close friends, very close teammates, and our goal is to give our best and stay committed. These are our teammates. There’s no Indian, no Pakistani when it comes to cricket,” he added.
VIDEO | USA skipper Monank Patel on Indo-Pak camaraderie in the team says, “There’s no Indian, no Pakistani when you represent the USA. Everyone is representing the country, and we’ve been playing together for a long time. We are very close friends, very close teammates, and our… pic.twitter.com/DfcZZroAS9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 31, 2026
Pakistan Set to Play T20 World Cup Matches in Sri Lanka
The BCCI, the PCB, and the ICC earlier agreed that all India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments until 2027 would be played at neutral venues. The decision was taken to avoid political issues and ensure the smooth scheduling of global events.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is set to begin on February 7. Pakistan’s final call on the tournament is expected by Monday. The Men in Green are scheduled to play all their matches in Sri Lanka, as they had already refused to play in India well in advance.
Bangladesh refused to play the tournament in India following fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad. The BCB asked for their matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected the request and replaced them with Scotland.
USA Announce 15-Man Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
The USA announced a 15-man squad for the World Cup, with Monank Patel set to lead the team. 10 players have been retained from the 2024 edition, including Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Nethravalkar, and Ali Khan.
The biggest omission is Aaron Jones, one of the team’s most consistent performers in 2024. The 31-year-old has been left out after being charged with breaching the International Cricket Council and Cricket West Indies anti-corruption codes.
The USA are placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia. They will open their campaign against host India on the first day at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, before facing Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
Also read: Pakistan announce final verdict on T20 World Cup 2026 participation, but there’s a twist
