Suryakumar Yadav is the Indian captain for the T20 World Cup, and the spotlight will undoubtedly be on him. But beyond India’s campaign, there is another compelling Indian connection in the tournament—players of Indian origin leading several associate teams on the world stage.
The T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will see associate nations such as the Netherlands, USA, Nepal, Namibia, Oman, UAE and Canada arrive with renewed belief and a clear intent to challenge the established powers of the game. Having qualified through demanding regional pathways, these teams are no longer content with mere participation and will be eager to make a lasting impact.
In recent years, associates have steadily narrowed the gap with full-member sides. The Netherlands have built a reputation for upsetting higher-ranked teams at ICC events, backed by a strong domestic structure and players with county and franchise experience.
USA and Canada benefit from expanding domestic leagues and increased international exposure, while Nepal draw strength from passionate support and a strong spin tradition. Namibia, meanwhile, have been impressed with tactical discipline and adaptability across conditions.
Teams like Oman and UAE bring valuable experience from multiple ICC tournaments and are adept at handling pressure. With T20 cricket’s inherent unpredictability, these sides will be targeting shock results. For Indian fans, the presence of Indian-origin captains adds an extra layer of intrigue—players keen to prove they belong at the very top level of the game.
Indian origin captains T20 WC 2026
Monank Patel (USA)
Monank Patel’s rise to international cricket has been anything but straightforward. Born on May 1, 1993, in Anand, Gujarat, the Indian-origin batter came through the age-group system in India, representing Gujarat at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels and even playing alongside Jasprit Bumrah during his junior days. Yet, despite the promise, the pathway stalled.
After securing a green card in 2010, Monank migrated permanently to the United States in 2013, a move that nearly ended his cricketing ambitions as he seriously contemplated quitting the sport. Cricket, however, found its way back. After settling in the US, Monank rebuilt his career from scratch and made his international debut in 2019 in both ODIs and T20Is.
Since then, he has been the backbone of USA’s batting, scoring 2,288 ODI runs at an average of 34.66, including three centuries and 18 fifties, along with a T20I century against the Bahamas.
Appointed captain in 2021, he led USA to their historic win over Pakistan at the 2024 T20 World Cup, earning Player of the Match honours. His strong showings in Major League Cricket with MI New York, including a career-best 93 in 2025, further underline his big-game temperament.
Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada)
Dilpreet Singh Bajwa, an Indian-origin cricketer, has emerged as one of the most exciting young batters in associate cricket and now leads the Canadian national team. Born on January 26, 2003, in Gurdaspur, Punjab, Bajwa’s cricketing roots were laid in India, where he trained at the Government College grounds under coach Rakesh Marshal and studied at Guru Arjun Dev School, Dhariwal. He spent long hours in the nets and followed the traditional age-group pathway.
Before leaving India, Bajwa produced a standout knock, scoring 130 in an Under-19 match against Patiala, an innings widely expected to earn him selection for the Punjab Under-19 side. When that opportunity did not materialise, his parents took a decisive call. His father, Harpreet Singh, worked in the Agriculture Department, while his mother, Harleen Kaur, was a government school teacher. In 2020, the family moved to Canada in search of better opportunities.
Bajwa made his T20I debut in September 2023 against Bermuda and his ODI debut in February 2024 against Nepal. In T20Is, he has already struck four half-centuries at a 133.22 strike rate. He also created history in Global T20 Canada, becoming the first Canadian to score a century with an unbeaten 100 off 55 balls. Appointed Canada captain for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Bajwa is central to the team’s future ambitions.
Jatinder Singh (Oman)
Jatinder Singh’s rise in international cricket is a story shaped by perseverance rather than privilege. Born on March 5, 1989, in Ludhiana, Punjab, he moved to Oman at a young age and began his cricketing journey there, without the backing of academies or formal coaching structures. His early development came on cement wickets, followed by Astro turf, before transitioning to turf cricket in 2011, a progression that honed his adaptability and technique.
Inspired early by Sachin Tendulkar’s discipline and consistency, and later by Virat Kohli’s intensity and fitness standards, Jatinder steadily climbed through Oman’s domestic ranks. A right-handed top-order batter, he made his T20I debut in 2015 and ODI debut in 2019, quickly establishing himself as a pillar of the national side.
In ODIs, Jatinder has scored 1,704 runs, including four centuries and nine half-centuries, with a career-best 118 against Papua New Guinea. His T20I record is equally impressive, leading Oman’s run charts with 1,605 runs from 72 matches. Appointed captain in 2025, he guided Oman into their maiden Asia Cup, marking a defining chapter for both player and nation.
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