Who is USA's Shadley van Schalkwyk, who broke India's back in T20 World Cup campaign opener?

USA pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk became the talk of the town after his brilliant spell against India in their first game of T20 World Cup 2026's campaign opener. The right-arm pacer toppled India's batting order in his first two overs by dismissing Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube. Kishan, who was struggling for his 16-ball 20, was caught by Milind Kumar. Tilak was then removed for 25 off 16 balls, caught by captain Monank Patel at mid-wicket. Shivam Dube followed on the very next delivery, deceived by a slower ball and caught for a one-ball duck, leaving Schalkwyk on a hat-trick.

Shadley van Schalkwyk wreaks havoc on India batters

India captain Suryakumar Yadav ultimately denied Schalkwyk a memorable World Cup hat-trick. While many expected Saurabh Netravalkar to be the primary threat with the ball, it was Schalkwyk who emerged as the surprise package to stun the defending champions. His performance left India reeling at 45/4 by the end of the powerplay at the Wankhede Stadium.

Schalkwyk ended up recording a phenomenal spell of 4/25. However, despite his bowling blitz India managed to post a competitive total of 161/9, thanks to Suryakumar Yadav's bravado of 49-ball 84.

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Who is Shadley van Schalkwyk?

Born on August 5, 1988, in Cape Town, South Africa, Shadley Claude van Schalkwyk is a versatile all-rounder who moved to the United States to continue his career. He is a left-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler who previously played for the Eagles and Knights in the South African domestic circuit. Having made his T20I debut for the USA in April 2024, the 37-year-old brings significant experience to the American national team from his time in Minor League Cricket and Major League Cricket with the Los Angeles Knight Riders.

Shadley van Schalkwyk’s cricketing journey began in South Africa, where he spent nearly 12 years honing his craft in the domestic circuit. He made his List A debut for Western Province in February 2008, followed by his first-class debut later that year in November. By January 2009, he had transitioned to the Eagles, making his T20 debut against the Dolphins. His long and respectable career in South Africa spanned 97 first-class matches, where he proved his all-round value by claiming 239 wickets and scoring 2,593 runs.

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Despite his consistency, van Schalkwyk was never selected for the South African national team. Following his move to the United States in 2021, he stepped away from the red-ball format, as he has not played a first-class game since leaving the South African circuit. Instead, he focused his efforts on the shorter formats, working his way through the Minor and Major League systems before earning his international stripes with the USA.

The 37-year-old made his T20I debut for the United States against Canada in April 2024 and was subsequently named in the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. He further solidified his role as a cross-format asset by making his ODI debut against Canada in August 2024. To date, the right-arm pacer has claimed 17 wickets in 13 ODIs and 18 wickets in T20Is, while contributing over 270 runs across both international formats.