A New Chapter for USA Cricket? Steven Taylor Axed for Nepal T20I Series

Former captain Steven Taylor has been dropped from the T20I squad for the series against Nepal later in the week. The 31-year-old, who had been wrestling with poor form throughout the world cup and the 50-over series in Netherlands has been axed.

Taylor was part of the T20I squad in the Netherlands but was 'rested' after picking up an injury in the 50-over series that preceded the T20I series.

Cricbuzz understands that Taylor was still 'recuperating' from his injuries before the team set sail for the Namibia tour which was widely believed to be the reason for his absence from the touring party. The big-hitting southpaw proved his form and fitness with twin hundreds in the recently-concluded Minor League T20 but those remain overlooked.

Also shown the door was Nitish Kumar after averaging 13 in his past 7 innings since the world cup. The former Canada captain, who switched sides in the lead up to the T20 world cup earlier this year, found his form waning after an impressive innings of 27 against India. Smit Patel's ascendancy in American cricket has once again been marred by a groin injury that will keep him out of action for six weeks, effectively sidelining him for the 50-over tri-series following the T20I series.

Ali Khan's Return Adds Firepower to USA's Bowling Attack

USA though will be buoyed with their talismanic fast bowler Ali Khan. The 33-year-old is set to turn out in USA colours for the first time post world cup after opting to skip the Netherlands tour and being further out of action owing to a leg injury that saw him miss a CPL season with Trinbago Knight Riders. Aaron Jones is back in the mix after preferring to play in the CPL for the St. Lucia Kings over touring Namibia with USA. It is understood that Jones may have been ignored for the Nepal series if not for his heroic innings in the CPL final that made waves in the cricketing world.

Monank Patel Leads the Charge: USA's Squad for the Nepal Series

Monank Patel will be back to captain the side after a shoulder niggle had him asking for rest in the T20Is in Namibia. Utkarsh Srivastava retains his place in the side for the third straight USA tour. Srivastava, 17, has featured once out of 15 games USA has featured in since his announcement in the squad.

USA Squad

Monank Patel (Captain), Andries Gous, Abhishek Paradkar, Ayan Desai, Harmeet Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, Milind Kumar, Ali Khan, Nosthusha Kenjige, Jasdeep Singh, Aaron Jones, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Utkarsh Srivastava, Yasir Mohammad.

Nepal Tour of USA: A Glimpse into the T20I Series

Nepal are set to tour the United States of America (USA) for a limited overs series, comprising three T20Is. The series will begin on October 18, Friday, and will end on Monday, October 21.

Nepal last participated in the T20I tri-series in Canada where they won two games and lost as many from four outings. They beat Oman twice but lost to Canada on two occasions. On the other hand, hosts USA also recently participated in a T20I tri-series in Namibia. They had a successful outing, winning three out of their four games, beating Namibia twice and UAE once.

All three T20Is between Nepal and the USA will be played at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, Dallas. The first T20I begins on Friday, October 18, at 5:30 AM IST. The second T20I will be played on Sunday, October 20, starting at 5:30 AM IST while the final T20I will take place on Monday, October 21, also starting at 5:30 AM IST.

Schedule, Squads, and Streaming Details for the USA vs Nepal T20I Series

Monank Patel is set to lead the USA. On that note, here are the schedule, squads, match timings, and live-streaming details for the USA vs Nepal T20I series 2024.

USA vs Nepal T20I Series Schedule

• Friday, October 18
  • USA vs Nepal 1st T20I, Dallas, 5:30 AM IST
• Sunday, October 20
  • USA vs Nepal, 2nd T20I, Dallas, 5:30 AM IST
• Monday, October 21
  • USA vs Nepal, 3rd T20I, Dallas, 5:30 AM IST

There will be no television telecast of the series. However, fans can catch all the action as there will be live-streaming on the Fancode app and website.

USA Squad

Monank Patel (Captain), Andries Gous, Abhishek Paradkar, Aaron Jones, Harmeet Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, Muhammad Ali Khan, Milind Kumar, Nosthusha Kenjige, Jasdeep Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Utkarsh Srivastava, Yasir Mohammad.

Nepal Squad

Rohit Paudel, Aasif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Kamal Airee, Kushal Bhurtel, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Gulsan Jha, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Kushal Malla, Sandeep Lamichhane, Pratis GC, Lalit Rajbanshi, Anil Sah, Sompal Kami.

A Battle of Ranked Opponents: USA vs Nepal

Nepal are currently placed at the 18th position on ICC Men's T20 Team Rankings with a rating of 167. Nepal have named a strong squad that includes big names like Sandeep Lamichchane, Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Malla. Although their form hasn't been the best lately, Nepal can certainly surprise their opponent with a counter attacking punch and take them by surprise.

USA are currently placed at the 17th position on ICC Men's T20 Team Rankings with a rating of 172. USA are also fielding a strong squad including Andries Gous, Saurabh Netravalkar, Saiteja Mukkamalla and Aaron Jones. They are also in great form as seen in the ICC Men's World Cup League 2. USA are certain favorites for winning the T20I series.

Key Players to Watch

USA

• Saurabh Netravalkar
• Saiteja Mukkamalla
• Aaron Jones
• Nosthush Kenjige
• Andries Gous

Nepal

• Sandeep Lamichchane
• Dipendra Singh Airee
• Kushal Malla
• Gulshan Jha

Full T20I Schedule & Squads

USA T20I squad

Monak Patel (captain), Juanoy Drysdale, Andries Gous, Shayan Jahangir, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Milind Kumar, Yasir Mohammad, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Abhishek Paradkar, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Utkarsh Srivastava.

Nepal T20I squad

Rohit Paudel (captain), Aasif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Kamal Airee, Kushal Bhurtel, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Gulsan Jha, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Kushal Malla, Sandeep Lamichhane, Pratis GC, Lalit Rajbanshi, Anil Sah, Sompal Kami

Match Schedule

• October 17
  • Match 1 - USA vs Nepal
  • Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas, Texas
• October 19
  • Match 2 - USA vs Nepal
  • Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas, Texas
• October 20
  • Match 3 - USA vs Nepal
  • Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas, Texas

Live Cricket Streaming Nepal Tour of USA 2024

Live Cricket Streaming Nepal Tour of USA 2024: The live cricket streaming page which enables you to watch live cricket - Geo-restrictions apply

NB these predictions may be changed nearer the start of the match once the final starting teams have been announced and we will be running ‘In-Play’ features, so stay tuned.

© Cricket World 2024

A Closer Look at the Pitch and Weather

The pitch at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas is a balanced pitch. The average 1st innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 137 runs.

USA vs Nepal: Dream11 Prediction for the 1st T20I

The first match of the Nepal in USA, 3 T20I Series, 2024 will be played between USA and Nepal (USA vs NEP). The match will be played at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas on 18th October 2024 at 05:30 AM IST.

Match Details

• Match: USA vs Nepal, 1st T20I
• Date: 18th October 2024
• Time: 05:30 AM IST
• Venue: Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas

Recent Form

In their last 5 games, Nepal have won 2 games and lost 3. In their last 5 games, USA have won 3 games and lost 2.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas is a balanced pitch. The average 1st innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 137 runs. Both teams will look to chase upon winning the toss as the majority of the games played on this ground have been won by the side chasing.

Weather Forecast

Temperature is expected to be around 21.95 °C and humidity is expected to be around 14%. 3.01 m/s winds are expected.

Player Stats

• M - Matches Played
• R - Runs
• Avg R - Average Runs
• W - Wickets
• Avg W - Average Wickets
• RR - Recent Scores
• RW - Recent Wickets

Dream11 Team

• Wicket-Keeper: Aasif Sheikh
• Batter: Saiteja Mukkamalla
• All-Rounders: Dev Khanal and Milind Kumar
• Bowlers: Sandeep Lamichhane, Jasdeep Singh, Abhishek Paradkar, Sompal Kami, Nosthush Kenjige, Lalit Rajbanshi and Juanoy Drysdale
• Captain: Milind Kumar
• Vice-Captain: Abhishek Paradkar

Photo credit: Imago

A New Era for USA Cricket?

This series is sure to be a fascinating clash between two teams with ambition and talent. The USA will be looking to continue their recent positive momentum, while Nepal will be seeking to pull off an upset and prove their mettle on the international stage. Only time will tell if this series marks a turning point for USA Cricket, but one thing is certain – it's a battle worth watching.