When walks out to the middle of the iconic Wankhede Stadium next Saturday, wrapped in the colours of the United States of America for his team’s opening game against India at the T20 World Cup, it will mark a nostalgic return to his home ground — and complete a journey of redemption.
Life has turned around dramatically for the 33-year-old left-arm spinner ever since he left India and chose to represent the USA over six years ago. Once touted as a promising talent by Australian legend Ian Chappell, Harmeet soon found his name linked to controversies — from spot-fixing allegations, of which he was later cleared by the BCCI, to being booked for driving a car onto a platform at the Andheri railway station in 2017.
Harmeet says he finally moved to the USA in 2020 after “growing tired” of what he calls “favouritism and selection politics”. The decision came at a personal cost. Last year, he lost his father, a real estate agent, to a heart attack. During the Covid pandemic, he couldn’t attend his mother’s funeral.
“I’m looking forward to the game on Saturday, but this time my father won’t be there at the ground. He used to come to see me play in . I don’t have my parents any more but I’ll have my sister and our extended family to cheer me on. How proud my parents would have felt if they were here,” Harmeet told The .
He made his USA debut in August 2024, representing the team after obtaining a work permit, and played for the team in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Yet, Harmeet says he, like the hundreds of thousands who have moved halfway across the world, has experienced the migrant’s dilemma — the price of chasing better opportunities abroad. The young cricketer who once charmed crowds with his control and guile now speaks with the weariness of adulthood, reflecting on responsibilities and regrets.
“When you go out and try to make a living, you get away from your family and friends. My parents were suffering and I was aware but still helpless. The timing was different, the atmosphere was different. For those who move abroad, the regret they have is not taking care of their parents. That thought used to stress me,” Harmeet said.
“I had to watch the final rites of my mother on the phone, and it still hurts… I still feel that had I been here, things could have been different. Life is tough. I’m introverted in terms of expressing my emotions, but that helps me in cricket — I can express on the ground,” he said.
A few months ago, Harmeet visited Mumbai and drove to Swami Vivekanand High School in Borivali, where he trained alongside India allrounder Shardul Thakur and Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad. He also met his coach Dinesh Lad and donated Rs 10 lakh to his foundation, which trains youngsters free of cost. “When we used to play, someone else was paying our bills. I never paid my school fees — someone was there helping. God has given me a position now where I can make a small contribution. Sir can help produce future cricketers,” he said.
Harmeet has also played with other India stars Sanju Samson, and at the Under-19 level. Samson was his roommate at , too.
Harmeet’s last appearance at Wankhede came in the 2014-15 season, when he took six wickets against Karnataka. Now after starting fresh, Harmeet is confident about USA’s chances — his teammates include two other former Mumbai players Saurabh Netravalkar and Shubham Ranjane.
With a largely Indian-origin squad and the unpredictability of T20 cricket, Harmeet believes an upset is possible on Saturday. “Wankhede is at the top of the list for high-scoring matches. Everybody is prepared. We have more visuals of them (the Indian team); they have less of us. Our batting is very strong. If we bat well, we will put up a good show against India,” he said.
