By VINODE MAMCHAN
Chairman of Cricket Council USA (CCUSA) Mahammad Qureshi has warned the United States cricketers to be aware of the pressures of social media and just believe in themselves and focus on their job at the World Cup qualifiers that is about to start in Antigua, West Indies.
The United States will be battling for one of two spots at the next World Cup. The ICC men’s T20 World Cup Americas qualifier marks the second and final Americas pathway event for the year, where two spots in the qualifier A and B will be up for grabs which are due to take place in the first half of 2022.
The Americas Qualifier will be played between November 7 and 14 in Antigua in partnership with Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association. In total seven Americas teams Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Panama and USA will be competing.
Qureshi flew to North Carolina where the team held a camp before flying off to the Caribbean Island. He and his business compatriot Ritesh Patel hosted the team to dinner and Qureshi said: “No social media pressure, stay focus on your game as a team player with positive attitude and this team would qualify for the World Cup.”
In the early 2000’s USA just missed out on qualification for the 50 overs World Cup being edged out by Canada. On that occasion Qureshi was the manager of the team and he remembers: “Back then the key for us reaching so close was the fact that we played as a team. With a little bit of luck we would have got into the World Cup at the expense of Canada. Here is another occasion where our players can take us there.
“America reaching the World Cup will be big for the sport here. At this point in time it is taking off after all the hard work from locals and we are hoping that we get into the World Cup which is the ultimate tournament to take part in.”
Action in the qualifiers begins on November 7.
