The match between the USA and Pakistan on June 6 in Dallas captured the attention of cricket fans worldwide. In what is being hailed as a ‘historic upset’, the United States defeated Pakistan by 5 runs, securing their second victory in the tournament’s group stage. The star of the match was 32-year-old Saurabh Netravalkar, who led the USA team to victory by bowling in the super over. But who is this talented cricketer?
Born in Mumbai on October 16, 1991, Saurabh is a left-arm medium-fast bowler who made his mark in cricket by representing India in the 2010 U19 World Cup. He later debuted in the Ranji Trophy in 2013 and the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai in 2014. Saurabh has played alongside renowned Indian cricketers like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, and Sandeep Sharma. In March 2023, he was selected by the Washington Freedom to play in the Major Cricket League.
Despite his cricket success, Saurabh is also a full-time software engineer. After completing his education at Sardar Patel Institute of Technology in India, he moved to the United States in 2015 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Computer Science at Cornell University. In addition to being a key player on the USA cricket team, Saurabh works as a Senior Software Engineer at Oracle. Beyond his professional commitments, Saurabh also dedicates time to playing the ukulele and practicing yoga, among other hobbies.
For those unfamiliar with the significance of Saurabh’s performance in the USA versus Pakistan match, there is a sense of poetic justice at play. In 2010, when Saurabh represented India at the U19 World Cup, the team lost to Pakistan, led by batsman and captain Babar Azam. Fourteen years later, Saurabh celebrated a victory against Babar Azam’s Pakistan, this time as part of the USA team.
Get World Cup ready with Crick-it! From live scores to match stats, catch all the action here. Explore now!
See more
