LAUDERHILL, FL (TIP): Indian Americans Ritwik Behera and Yasir Saeed Mohammad made their international debut for the U.S. national T20 team, as the Americans thrashed the visiting Ireland by 26 runs in Lauderhill, FL, on December 22. Behera, a middle-order batter, was out for a duck, falling leg before wicket to off-spinner Simi Singh in the fourth ball he faced.

Mohammad, a right arm off break bowler, went wicketless in four overs, conceding 35 runs.

The United States scored 188 for 6 in 20 overs. In response, Ireland could muster only 162 for the loss of 6. Left-hander Gajanand Singh, a former West Indies and Guyanese Under -19 player, top-scored for the U.S. with 65 off 42 deliveries. Behera and Mohammad, 19, were the only two American born players that took the field for the United States on Wednesday.

The two were added to the squad on Tuesday, the day before the match. USA Cricket said in a press release on Tuesday that additional players were added “in light of the ongoing Covid challenges being experienced.”

“[It] feels good to get the opportunity and hopefully I could contribute to the team as much as possible,” Behera told the American Bazaar in text message Wednesday evening.

They joined the team on Tuesday, just hours before the match.

A third Indian American on the team is the 17-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Rahul Jariwala.

All the three are Under-19 US players.

Behera, who lives in Bowie, MD, is a student at Poolesville High School. Mohammad, who was born in Edison, NJ, lives in Pennsylvania.

The second match of the T20 series will begin at 7 pm Thursday at the same ground. The two teams are also scheduled to play a three-match ODI series, which will begin on the Boxing Day.