The 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, features an impressive "Indian Diaspora" presence. Across the 20 participating teams, roughly 40 players of Indian origin are taking part, representing almost every corner of the globe. While the tournament features the world’s top-tier nations, it is the visible influence of the Indian diaspora across various international rosters that has captured public attention. Who Is Yuvraj Samra? Know All About Youngest Player To Score a Century in T20 World Cup History.

During a recent episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked on this phenomenon, noting that the "spirit of Indian cricket" now extends far beyond the nation's borders. He praised the players of Indian descent who are representing their adopted home countries, describing them as cultural ambassadors of the sport.

Canada and the USA lead the way with the highest number of players who learned their craft in Indian domestic circuits or have strong ancestral roots in India. Many of these cricketers developed their skills in the Indian domestic circuit (Ranji Trophy or IPL) before moving abroad for professional or personal reasons. Who Was Aalin Sherin Abraham? PM Narendra Modi Honours Kerala’s Youngest Organ Donor in Mann Ki Baat.

List of Indian-Origin Players in T20 World Cup 2026

Team Count Key Indian-Origin Players
Canada 11 Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Shreyas Movva, Ansh Patel, Jaskarandeep Singh, Ajayveer Hundal, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Ravinderpal Singh, Shivam Sharma, Yuvraj Samra
USA 9 Monank Patel (C), Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Jessy Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Sanjay Krishnamurthi
Oman 7 Jatinder Singh (C), Vinayak Shukla, Karan Sonavale, Jay Odedra, Ashish Odedara, Wasim Ali, Jiten Ramanandi
UAE 7 Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Mayank Kumar, Simranjeet Singh
New Zealand 2 Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi
South Africa 1 Keshav Maharaj
Netherlands 1 Aryan Dutt
West Indies 1 Gudakesh Motie
Italy 1 Jaspreet Singh

Notable Player Stories

  • Saurabh Netravalkar (USA): A former India U-19 and Mumbai Ranji player. He famously works as a software engineer at Oracle while playing international cricket.

  • Harmeet Singh (USA): A winner of the 2012 U-19 World Cup with India. He played for Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals before relocating to the US.

  • Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada): Originally from Gurdaspur, Punjab, he now captains the Canadian national team.

  • Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand): Named after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, he has become a breakout star for the Blackcaps.

Note: These players are in addition to the 15-man Indian squad led by Suryakumar Yadav, bringing the total number of players with Indian roots in the tournament to 55.

PM Narendra Modi Highlights Indian Diaspora in T20 World Cup 2026

The inclusion of these players is more than a statistical curiosity; it reflects the globalisation of the sport. As Prime Minister Modi noted in his address, these athletes maintain a dual identity that resonates with fans in both India and their respective nations.

This trend is also a result of the ICC’s eligibility criteria and the rise of franchise leagues, which have allowed players to seek opportunities outside the crowded Indian selection system. As the 2026 World Cup progresses, the performance of these "global Indians" continues to be a defining narrative of the tournament, proving that while they wear different colours, the technical foundation of their game remains deeply influenced by Indian traditions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2026 02:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).