USA recall Jariwala, Phillip for ODI tour of Papua New Guinea

Posted By on August 31, 2022

Teenage batter Rahul Jariwala and 25-year-old fast bowler Kyle Phillip have been recalled to USA’s 14-member ODI squad for next month’s four-match tour of Papua New Guinea. It is their penultimate series as part of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two, and USA will take on the hosts and Namibia in two matches apiece starting on September 11 in Port Moresby.

Jariwala, 18, made his debut for USA in June against United Arab Emirates in Texas and played three matches as part of the home summer before being dropped for the recent tour of Scotland. He also doubles up as a wicketkeeper to provide cover in the role for USA captain Monank Patel. Jariwala’s recall was sparked by opening batter Sushant Modani’s unavailability for the tour of Papua New Guinea due to visa issues, according to a USA Cricket press release.

Modani had made four fifty-plus scores in eight innings during the home ODIs in Texas in May and June, including a maiden hundred against Oman. He followed it up with 90 runs in three innings in Scotland, including a best of 52.

Modani’s absence may open the door for 18-year-old opener Sai Mukkamalla to come back into the XI. Mukkamalla made his ODI debut for USA in May against Scotland in Texas and was in the squad for the Scotland tour earlier this month as a reserve but did not play a game. However, he has been in excellent form in recent weeks during the Minor League T20 franchise competition, scoring 102 runs at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 129.11. He helped his New Jersey Stallions side make the semi-finals before losing to eventual runner-up Atlanta Fire, who were led by fellow USA team-mates Aaron Jones and Steven Taylor.

Phillip has not played for USA since their tour of Oman last September, where he took 3 for 43 on his ODI debut against Nepal. He only played one more match on that tour, going wicketless against Oman. He replaces Ian Holland, who is once again unavailable due to commitments with Hampshire.
Phillip, who was clocked in the mid 140 kph range several summers ago playing for Winnipeg Hawks in the Global T20 Canada, also offers USA an express pace option they have lacked since Ali Khan broke his forearm at the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in July. Khan is recovering after a surgery to insert screws into his forearm to help repair the fracture.

USA are currently in third place – one point ahead of United Arab Emirates – in the Cricket World Cup League Two competition, which is being used as a qualification pathway for the 2023 ODI World Cup. The top three sides at the end of the seven-team competition will automatically advance to the 10-team World Cup Qualifier next year, where the final two qualification spots will be up for grabs for the World Cup in India.

USA squad: Monank Patel (capt & wk), Rahul Jariwala (wk), Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Jaskaran Malhotra, Yasir Mohammad, Sai Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel, Kyle Phillip, Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Cameron Stevenson, Steven Taylor.

Peter Della Penna is ESPNcricinfo’s USA correspondent @PeterDellaPenna

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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