USA outplays Pakistan at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
USA defeated Pakistan by 18 runs in the 11th match of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, held in the Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas, USA, on Thursday.
The USA won the toss against Pakistan and chose to bowl in the first inning. Despite having more international cricket experience, Pakistan struggled to find its footing.
USA bowlers Noshtush Kenjige (3-30) and Saurabh Netravalkar (2-18) shared five wickets, with four taken in the first six overs. By the last ball of the 20th over, Pakistan was at 159/7.
With a target of 160, the USA managed to score exactly 159/3 in 20 overs, thus pushing the game into a Super Over (one-over eliminator). The high-pressure stakes further weakened Pakistan’s top order to the melting point.
Pakistan’s amateurish fielding, indiscipline, and overthrows, as well as the mounting pressure of the Super Over, led Pakistan’s most experienced bowler, Mohammad Amir, to bowl three wides during delivery, causing leg-byes for the USA, who stole an additional run with every ball.
By the end of the over, the USA had reached 18/1, with Aaron Jones scoring 11 runs from six balls and 7 leg-byes due to wide balls delivered. Despite setting a low target, medium-fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar maintained the pressure on Pakistan, with the latter scoring only 13/1 by the last ball.
The defeat has dampened Pakistan’s spirits ahead of the next game, where they will face India once again since they last faced off in Melbourne in 2022. Meanwhile, the USA heads into their next game, brimming with morale.
USA vs. PAK: Match Highlights, MVP
Notably, many of the players in the USA’s top order are foreign nationals, with seven Indian-born cricketers (Monank Patel (c), Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh, Nisarg Patel, Noshtush Kenjige, Milind Kumar, and Jaspreet Singh), two Pakistanis (Shayan Jahangir, Ali Khan), two South Africans (Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Andries Gous), one US-born (Steven Taylor), and others from New Zealand (Corey Anderson), Barbados (Aaron Jones), and Canada (Nitish Kumar).
Three of PAK’s openers, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, and Fakhar Zaman, were dismissed by the fifth over, adding to PAK’s woes, with USA’s bowlers Noshtush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar maintaining controlled pressure on the rest of the batting order, bringing the latter’s run-rate to a trickle.
Among Pak’s top order, team captain Babar Azam scored the highest of 44 runs from 43 balls before being taken out by USA bowler Jaspreet Singh in the 16th over of the game.
After ending the innings at 159/7, Pakistan failed to stop the USA’s giant-killing approach to playing cricket, which saw runs stacking at minimal loss of wickets.
Despite receiving an initial shock with the dismissal of opener Steven Taylor in the 3rd over of the innings, USA skipper Monank Patel maintained a remarkable partnership with Andries Gous scoring 68 runs, which formed the very backbone of the USA’s run chase.
Skipper Patel received the MVP position for his spectacular 50 off 38 balls, which formed much of the USA’s run chase. The seven-wicket partnership between Patel and Gous tied the score for PAK and pushed the game into the Super Over, where once again the USA’s left-arm, medium-fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar stepped up the stakes and eventually outplayed the cricket legends.
USA in High Spirits Following Win Against PAK
USA’s second victory against cricket giant Pakistan after defeating Canada last week has created a buzz amongst cricket fans all over the world. Apart from making their first appearance at the T20 World Cup, the USA is also co-hosting the tournament jointly with the West Indies.
Following the remarkable victory against PAK, Team USA is in high spirits as they get ready to face India on June 12. Pakistan will also be facing India on June 9 for the first time since the faceoff in Melbourne in 2022.
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