USA Cricket announced the squad for the upcoming ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which will take place in Malaysia next month. The squad announcement has created a buzz on social media, with many highlighting the strong presence of Indian-origin players. USA Cricket shared the news on Instagram with the caption, “Officially unveiling our squad for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025. Let’s do this.”
The 15 players, including the reserves, are of Indian-American descent. Ankita Kolan has been named the captain, with Aditiba Chudasama as her deputy.Following the announcement, let’s dwelve into details of skipper Ankita Kolan
Who is Ankita Kolan?
Anika Kolan, who was the vice-captain of the USA team at the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023, has been named captain of the 15-player USA squad for the 2025 ICC Women’s U19 World Cup in Malaysia.
Anika developed an interest in cricket at the age of nine, practicing in her family’s garage with her dad and brother helping her with coaching, equipment, and support. As an American-born right-handed wicketkeeper/batter, she prefers to bat in the top order (1-3) and has played for San Ramon Cricket Academy and Major League Cricket Academy in the USA.
Playing for USA Cricket is a dream come true for Anika, and she finds playing cricket to be a way to escape from everyday life and focus on her goals. She also encourages young girls to play cricket and often takes part in community programs to promote the sport.
Anika is proud of her achievements, especially hitting her first two boundaries on her international T20I debut, with her family cheering from the boundary. She is a big fan of Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy and treasures winning the Best Wicketkeeper award at a Girls Cricket League tournament. Another highlight for Anika was hitting her first half-century in India at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket.
