USA cricket have made monumental changes to their selection and coaching staff structures to strengthen the national team in their bid to qualify for the T20 World Cup global qualifiers and eventually, the main draw of 2020 Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
Pubudu Dassanayeke, who had been the head coach for the men’s National squad has stepped aside for the new administration to take over the proceedings, which includes high profile names (ex-International) players from India, Australia and New Zealand. The appointed individuals also have worked with National squads of India and Bangladesh and also with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
Former India head of selectors Kiran More has also been appointed in a senior cricket operations consultancy role with USA Cricket. Specialist coaches for batting, fielding, fast and spin bowling departments have been brought in.
Pravin Amre (Former India International and batting coach for Pune Warriors, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in IPL) and Kieran Powell (West Indies International) will be in charge of the batting department for USA. David Saker (Bowing coach for Australia and previously for England and Melbourne Renegades in Big Bash League) will be overseeing the fast bowling department, while Sunil Joshi (Former India International and bowling coach for Bangladesh) will be handling the spin bowling department.
James Pamment (Fielding coach for Mumbai Indians in IPL) has been appointed as the fielding coach for the national squad. USA have high-profile tournaments lined up in the upcoming months with the T20 World Cup regional finals in Bermuda and global qualifiers in UAE (upon qualification) to look at, after which they have assignments in ICC CWC League 2 tournament from 2019-2021.
Whether the appointments will be extended for the future will need to be seen. As of now, the positions filled are effective immediately. USA cricket, thus, bids farewell to Pubudu Dassanayeke, who took over the head coach role in 2016 and was instrumental in bringing USA up from World Cricket League Division 4 till achieveing ODI status until 2022 in the final editon of WCL Division 2 tournament in Namibia in Apr 2019.
