The inaugural Super60 USA Tournament took a significant step forward on Friday with its player draft, marking a milestone for cricket in the United States. The event saw franchises building their teams with a mix of international stars and emerging talents.
The draft was an opportunity for teams to select an additional 7-10 players, complementing the eight players they had already pre-signed. Several prominent international players were in the spotlight, including Martin Guptill, Wayne Parnell, Varun Aaron, and Lendl Simmons, demonstrating the tournament's widespread appeal.
Several teams made strategic moves to bolster their squads. The LA Strikers, who had already secured Aaron Finch, Isuru Udana, and Ben Dunk, added Gurkeerat Mann, Naman Ojha, and Parvinder Awana to their roster. Morrisville Fighters, after pre-signing Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel, picked up Shaun Marsh, Colin de Grandhomme, Sheldon Cottrell, and Faiz Fazal. Rebel Warriors made a splash by acquiring Martin Guptill and Lendl Simmons, along with Saurabh Tiwary (pre-signed) and Mitchell Johnson. The Chicago Players, with Suresh Raina and Jacques Kallis already on board, added Wayne Parnell, Varun Aaron, and Devendra Bishoo. Detroit Falcons focused on all-rounders, selecting Mosaddek Hossain and Ariful Haque to complement Shakib Al Hasan. Washington Tigers secured Parthiv Patel, Chris Lynn, Ravi Bopara, Abhimanyu Mithun, Dan Christian, and Shahbaz Nadeem.
The LA Strikers aimed for an all-round team by selecting Gurkeerat Mann, a middle-order batsman with off-spin capabilities. They also added depth with veteran wicketkeeper Naman Ojha and experienced fast bowler Parvinder Awana. Morrisville Fighters, having established a strong bowling attack with Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel, strengthened their top order by signing Shaun Marsh. They further added explosive all-rounders Colin de Grandhomme and Sheldon Cottrell, along with the dependable Faiz Fazal, to create a balanced unit. The Rebel Warriors made a statement by acquiring Martin Guptill and Lendl Simmons, two T20 veterans known for their potential to dominate bowling attacks. They also have Saurabh Tiwary, and Mitchell Johnson will lead the pace attack. The Chicago Players, who already had legends Suresh Raina and Jacques Kallis, continued their big-name approach by signing Wayne Parnell, Varun Aaron, and Devendra Bishoo. With this combination of pace and spin, they formed a bowling department to be reckoned with. With Shakib Al Hasan already in their corner, the Detroit Falcons declared their intentions to focus on all-rounders, adding Mosaddek Hossain and Ariful Haque to bolster their game plan. The Washington Tigers have a strong batting order comprising Parthiv Patel, Chris Lynn, and Ravi Bopara, with a balanced bowling staff including Abhimanyu Mithun, Dan Christian, and Shahbaz Nadeem.