Sports Bulletin Report
Dallas, Texas (USA): The United States of America (USA) cricket team overcame former champions Pakistan in the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup match in a super over to claim an upset and historical victory in Dallas Texas USA on Thursday.
After being put into bat on a tricky surface, Pakistan stuttered to 159 for seven after slipping to 26 for three and then 98 for five. In their run-chase on a wicket that turned into a batting paradise, the USA reached 104 for one in 13 overs before Pakistan fought back to leave the home side needing 15 runs off the last over. Haris Rauf conceded three runs off the first three deliveries but went for 11 runs off the last three deliveries as the USA tied the match by finishing at 159 for three.
In the Super Over, Mohammad Amir bowled a nine-ball over in which the USA scored 18 runs. In reply, the USA’s left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar displayed tremendous composure and conceded only 13 runs, including picking Iftikhar Ahmed’s wicket in an eight-ball over.
This was the USA’s biggest victory in their 31-match history, while for Pakistan, it was one of the most shocking results in a 242-match career. A couple of weeks ago, the USA had also beaten Bangladesh 2-1 in a three-match series, while they defeated Canada by seven wickets in their tournament opener.
Thursday’s shocking result can be ranked alongside Zimbabwe’s victory over Australia in the 2007 event, the Netherlands' victory over England in the 2009 and 2014 tournaments, Afghanistan’s victory over the West Indies in the 2016 tournament and Namibia’s victory over Sri Lanka in the 2022 competition.
The USA has now won both of their matches and have games against Ireland and India remaining, while Sunday’s match against India will potentially be a must-win match for Pakistan to keep their chances of a Super-Eight stage qualification alive. Pakistan will also play Canada (11 June) and Ireland (16 June).
A 68-run second-wicket partnership between captain Monank Patel and Andries Gous set up the USA’s historic victory. Patel scored 50 off 38 balls with seven fours and a six, while Gous contributed 35 off 26 balls with five fours and a six.
After Gous fell to Haris Rauf and Mohammad Amir accounted for Patelto limit the USA to 111 for three in 14.1 overs, Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar stitched an unbroken 48 runs off 35 balls for the fourth wicket. Jones finished unbeaten on 36 with two fours and two sixes, including a maximum off Haris’ fourth delivery, while Kumar remained not out on a run-a-ball 14 that included a final-ball four that tied the match.
Earlier in the day, and after Steven Taylor took a breathtaking catch in the first slip to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan on the eighth ball of the match, Pakistan struggled to 159 for seven with the last 10 overs producing 93 runs for the loss of four wickets. In the second half of the innings, Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with an invaluable 16-ball 23 not out with a four and two sixes and Iftikhar Ahmed contributed a 14-ball 18 with three fours.
At the top of the order, captain Babar Azam and Shadab Khan produced a 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket in 48 balls to put Pakistan back on course to a decent total before back-to-back wickets of Shadab and Azam Khan reduced Pakistan to 98 for five, which became 125 for six in the 16th over following the departure of Babar.
Shadab scored at a strike-rate of 160 when he contributed 40 runs off 25 balls with a four and three sixes, while Babar was trapped in front of the wickets after scoring 44 off 43 balls with three fours and two sixes.
