New Zealand’s Corey Anderson in line to play for the USA

Corey Anderson, the New Zealand all-rounder, may well represent the United States of America after the USA’S recruitment drive that could lead to them fielding international cricketers. Back in 2019, the United States were granted with ODI status during the World Cricket League Division Two after their maiden ODIs way back in the 2004 Champions Trophy.

The USA, along with its commercial partner ACE (American Cricket Enterprises), is attempting to bring in professionals, which includes Anderson and Pakistan left-handed batsman Sami Aslam as well. The players could then represent the USA at the international level after the three-year residency path.

We build heroes and role models, says USA CEO

“We want to win cricket games. We want to qualify for World T20s, we want to qualify for World Cups. We want to win cricket matches,” Iain Higgins, the USA Cricket CEO, was quoted as saying to ESPNcricinfo earlier this year.

“By winning cricket matches, we’re able to – we don’t do this very well at the moment, but we need to do this better – we build heroes and role models that are wearing the stars and stripes, and we need to amplify those stories.

“Sometimes those will be people who have come through the US and sometimes those will be people that come into the team because they have a passport or have qualified on residency grounds. But we want the USA team to be at the forefront of the international cricketing community’s minds,” he added.

Anderson last donned the national colours back in 2018 during a T20I against Pakistan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the southpaw spent most of his time with fiancée Mary Shamburger in Texas. He has been discussed as a marquee player for the US Major League T20 franchise based in Dallas, which is scheduled to start in 2022.

Anderson isn’t a part of New Zealand’s domestic season this year but played for Auckland in the Super Smash last year. Back in 2014, he scored the then fastest ODI ton off 36 balls that was broken by AB de Villiers in 2015.

He was also a key member of the Black Caps in the 2015 World Cup, scoring 231 runs at an average of 33 and picking up 14 wickets.