For USA opening bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against India is more than just a Group A opener. It marks a poignant return to the Wankhede Stadium, the iconic ground where his cricketing aspirations first took flight as a teenager in Mumbai’s competitive local circuit.

Netravalkar, who famously balanced a career as an Oracle engineer with his rise in American cricket, is one of three players in the USA squad returning to their roots. Alongside teammates Harmeet Singh and Shubham Ranjane, the 34-year-old left-arm pacer will step onto the turf not in the Mumbai blue he once wore, but in the red, white, and blue of the United States. Mumbai Weather and Rain Forecast for India vs USA T20 World Cup 2026 Match.

USA Cricket shared a video on Instagram in which Netravalkar was seen talking about Wankhede Stadium when he first visited the venue as a 14-year-old. Netravalkar also revealed how he would watch the match from outside Wankhede Stadium and dream about playing at the venue one day! Emotional Netravalkar further said how the home team dressing room is different butat the same time he is proud to be playing for USA.

Watch Video: Nostalgic Moment for Saurabh Netravalkar

 

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Full Circle for 'Mumbai Boys'

 

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Born and raised in Mumbai, Netravalkar was once a rising star in Indian cricket, representing the nation at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. He made his first-class debut for Mumbai in 2013, sharing the dressing room with current Indian stars such as Suryakumar Yadav and Shardul Thakur.

However, after struggling to break into the senior national side, he moved to the US in 2015 to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science at Cornell University.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2026 10:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).