Suryakumar Yadav is India’s captain for the T20 World Cup and the focus will undoubtedly be on him. But apart from the Indian campaign, there is another compelling Indian connection to the tournament – players of Indian origin lead several affiliated teams on the world stage.
Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the T20 World Cup 2026 will see associated nations such as the Netherlands, USA, Nepal, Namibia, Oman, UAE and Canada with renewed faith and a clear intention to challenge the established powers of the game. Having qualified through tough regional paths, these teams will no longer be content with mere participation and will be eager to make a lasting impact.
In recent years, associates have been steadily closing the gap between full members. 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.
The USA and Canada benefit from expanding domestic leagues and increased international exposure, while Nepal draws strength from passionate support and a strong tradition of rotation. Meanwhile, Namibia were impressed by the tactical discipline and adaptability in different conditions.
Teams like Oman and UAE bring valuable experience from many ICC tournaments and are adept at handling pressure. Given the inherent unpredictability of T20 cricket, these sides will aim for shock results. For Indian fans, the presence of captains of Indian origin adds another layer of intrigue – to players looking to prove they belong at the highest level of the game.
Captains of Indian origin T20 World Cup 2026
Monank Patel (USA)
Monank Patel to lead USA to FIFA World Cup T20 2026. Courtesy: Getty Images
Monanko Patel’s rise to international cricket has been anything but straightforward. Born on 1 May 1993 in Anand, Gujarat, the Indian-origin all-rounder has come through the age-group system in India, representing Gujarat at Under-16 and Under-19 levels and even playing alongside Jasprit Bumrah during his junior years. But despite the promise, the trip stopped.
After receiving his green card in 2010, Monank moved permanently to the United States in 2013, a move that almost ended his cricketing ambitions as he seriously considered quitting the sport. However, cricket 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 the US batting, scoring 2,288 ODI runs at an average of 34.66, including three hundreds and 18 fifties, along with a T20I century against the Bahamas.
Appointed captain in 2021, led USA to historic victory over Pakistan in 2024 FIFA T20 World Cupwins Player of the Match award. His strong showing in Major League Cricket with MI New York, including a career-best 93 in 2025, further underscores his temperament in the big game.
Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada)
Dilpreet Bajwa will lead Canada in the T20 World Cup. Courtesy: Getty Images
Dilpreet Singh Bajwa, a cricketer of Indian origin, has emerged as one of the most exciting young batsmen in associate cricket and is now leading the Canadian national team. Born on 26 January 2003 in Gurdaspur, Punjab, Bajwa had his cricketing roots in India where he trained at the Government College ground under coach Rakesh Marshal and studied at the Guru Arjun Dev School in Dhariwal. He spent long hours on the nets and followed the traditional path of the age groups.
Before leaving India, Bajwa produced an outstanding knock, scoring 130 in the Under-19 match against Patiala, an innings that was widely expected to earn him selection for the Punjab Under-19 team. When that opportunity didn’t materialize, his parents took a decisive call. His father, Harpreet Singh, worked in the Ministry of Agriculture, while his mother, Harleen Kaur, was a teacher in a government school. In 2020, the family moved to Canada to seek better opportunities.
Bajwa made his T20I debut in September 2023 against Bermuda and his ODI debut in February 2024 against Nepal. He has already hit four half-centuries in T20Is at a strike rate of 133.22. He also created history in the Global T20 Canada, becoming the first Canadian to score a century with an unbeaten 100 off 55 balls. Bajwa, who has been named Canada’s captain for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, is central to the team’s future ambitions.
Jatinder Singh (Oman)
Jatinder Singh is Oman’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer. Courtesy: Getty Images
Jatinder Singh’s rise in international cricket is a a story shaped by perseverance rather than privilege. Born on 5 March 1989 in Ludhiana, Punjab, he moved to Oman at a young age and began his cricketing journey there without the support of academies or formal coaching structures. His early development came on cement wickets, followed by Astro turf, before switching to turf cricket in 2011, a progression that perfected his adaptability and technique.
Inspired early by Sachin Tendulkar’s discipline and consistency and later by Virat Kohli’s standards of intensity and fitness, Jatinder steadily climbed the Omani domestic ladder. A top-order right-handed batsman, he made his T20I debut in 2015 and ODIs in 2019 and quickly established himself as a mainstay of the national side.
In ODIs, Jatinder scored 1,704 runs, including four centuries and nine half-centuries, with a career-best score of 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 led Oman to their first Asian Cup, marking a defining chapter for both player and nation.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
February 5, 2026
