Andries Gous available to play for USA in the T20 World Cup
The South African wicketkeeper, who is currently in action in the ILT20, had relocated to the USA in 2021
ESPNcricinfo staff
26-Jan-2024
Andries Gous hit a match-winning 95 not out off 50 balls on ILT20 debut • ILT20
Andries Gous, the South African wicketkeeper who holds the highest individual score of the 2024 ILT20 season, has declared himself available to play for co-hosts USA in the T20 World Cup in June.
Gous, 30, represented South Africa's Under-19s in 2013 and played domestically for Free State and the Knights. In 2021, he relocated to the USA with his family after signing a long-term deal with American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), the company which runs Major League Cricket, and is due to qualify for the national team in April.
The USA have not played a men's T20I since the 2022 World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, but have qualified for June's World Cup automatically as co-hosts with West Indies. They have been placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, Ireland and Canada, against whom they will play the opening match on June 1 in Dallas.
"If that opportunity arises, it's always been a dream of mine to play international cricket, firstly, and secondly, to play at a World Cup," Gous told MLC Network. "I think that's every cricketer's dream, to play at a World Cup: really testing yourself against the best in the world.
"Just seeing the pool that USA is in, you're definitely going to be testing yourself against the best in the world. It will be really awesome to play for USA, if we get the chance. We've still got to first make the side, but if the opportunity arises, it's something that I'll definitely take with both hands."
Gous represented Washington Freedom in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket and has also earned opportunities with Morrisville Samp Army, who play in the Abu Dhabi T10, and now with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20. He hit a match-winning 95 not out off 50 balls on debut against Desert Vipers on Sunday.
Corey Anderson, the former New Zealand international, also relocated to the USA and will be eligible to feature in the T20 World Cup. While playing for Hobart Hurricanes last month, he told the Tasmanian Mercury newspaper: "If the opportunity comes up, I'll assess it. But I'm not focused on that at the moment."