USA’s minor and major league cricket have amped up their efforts to recruit players from different parts of the world after the country received full ODI status from the ICC in 2019. The Major League Cricket is being identified as a major player in driving cricketers to the country, as well as spreading the sport’s popularity in the States.

In the recent past, many players with varying degrees of success at international level have eyed and completed moves to the United States to extend their playing careers and explore new opportunities. Most recently, Liam Plunkett, after being left out of England’s contracted list, was reportedly eyeing a career with USA cricket, with a spokesperson confirming to Wisden that the quick had held discussions surrounding such a propect.

Corey Anderson (New Zealand)

Once the fastest ODI centurion, Anderson’s stocks fell rapidly as other all-round options emerged in New Zealand cricket, and injuries, including stress fractures and groin issues, stunted his progress.

After he announced his arrival with a 36-ball century in 2o14, the then fastest in terms of deliveries, his power-hitting and crafty medium pace became a constant fixture in New Zealand’s limited-overs setup. He played 13 Tests, 49 ODIs and 31 T20Is in an international career that spanned from 2012 to 2018, before falling out of favour.

With limited franchise deals coming his way (Anderson hasn’t played an IPL game since 2018), Anderson decided to quit international cricket in a bid to explore cricket in the USA. He admitted that his fiance, who’s born and raised in America, had a key role to play in his decision to move to the States.

Shehan Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

The left-handed batsman, who bowls off-spin, decided to call it quits from Sri Lanka cricket after playing 12 ODIs and 18 T20Is for the side. He has an impressive resume to his name in domestic cricket (he averages 42.10 with the bat and 26.38 with the ball in first-class cricket), Jayasuriya wasn’t able to translate the form at international level, managing just one fifty in 26 innings.

In January 2021, ten months after he played his last international game, Jayasuriya, 29, announced that he was moving away from Sri Lanka cricket and relocating to the United States with his family.

Juan ‘Rusty’ Theron (South Africa)

An impactful bowling all-rounder, Theron’s international career with South Africa was short-lived (13 ODIs and nine T20Is between 2010 and 2012), even though he remained a known presence in T20 leagues until 2015. He represented three teams in IPL, and also featured in the CPL.

South Africa’s cricketer of the year in 2010, Theron spent the first half of the previous decade plying his trade in the country’s domestic circles, before fading away from mainstream cricket and retiring from South Africa first-class cricket. In 2015, he is said to have moved to Florida for a teaching course and continued to play club cricket in the United States.

In June 2019, he was named in a 30-member USA squad for a selection camp, and went on to make it to their ODI XI in September. He has been part of their one-day and T20I squads since.

Sami Aslam (Pakistan)

A prolific performer at U19 and domestic level, Sami Aslam, 24, decided to leave Pakistan cricket last year, after a disagreement with his South Punjab coach. Till then, Aslam had featured for Pakistan in 13 Tests between 2015 and 2017 and was the fourth-highest run-getter in the 2019/20 Quaid-e-Azam trophy, Pakistan’s first-class competition.

To the new beginning 🇺🇸 🏏

— Sami Aslam (@samiaslam999) December 3, 2020

In November, Aslam tweeted that he was “disappointed” at not being picked in the 35-member group for Pakistan’s New Zealand tour, and the following month, formally announced his departure from Pakistan cricket, stating that he would move to the USA for the next phase of his playing career.

Dane Piedt (South Africa)

Six months after playing a Test series in India, Dane Piedt, the South Africa off-spinner, decided to make a move to the United States for better opportunities. Piedt played nine Tests for South Africa between 2014 and 2019, picking up 26 wickets at 45.19. In first-class cricket, the 30-year-old played 115 games, picking up 409 wickets and also has a century to his name in the format.

To new beginnings 🇺🇸… 🥂 pic.twitter.com/XFZIOxC7z0

— Dane Piedt (@dane_piedt63) March 27, 2020

In March 2020, Piedt signed an employment contract to play in the Minor League T20 tournament, with hopes of representing USA at an ICC event in the future.

Xavier Marshall (West Indies)

In a career that showed plenty of promise but couldn’t quite take off, Xavier Marshall played 7 Tests, 37 ODIs and 13 T20Is for West Indies between 2005 and 2009, including the 2009 T20 World Cup. During his unbeaten 157 against Canada in an ODI in 2008, Marshall hit 12 sixes, the then world record.

However, Marshall fell out of contention after the T20 World Cup next year, but continued to be part of domestic cricket in Jamaica. A move to New York kickstarted the possibility of resurrecting his international career and in 2018, was added to the USA squad. He featured for the national side in ODIs and T20Is, but was removed from their contract list in August last year. Incidentally, his cousin Rashard Marshall also represented USA in the Noughties.