The ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 witnessed a historic upset on June 6, at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. The cricketing underdogs, the United States of America (USA), defeated heavyweight Pakistan in a thrilling super over. This victory marks a great achievement for USA cricket because it is not a popular sport in the country and is still finding its footing there.
Coming off a dominating win against Canada in their opening match, the USA surprised everyone by taking down a team like Pakistan, the runner-up of the 2022 T20 World Cup.
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The hero of the match for the USA was once again Aaron Jones. Following his impressive 94-run knock against Canada, Jones played a crucial role in extending the match into the Super Over with a vital 36 runs off just 26 balls. His composure under pressure, including a last-ball boundary off Haris Rauf, forced a tie at the end of regulation play.
Pakistan’s decision to pick Mohammad Amir over the highly-rated Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Super Over backfired. Amir bowled an expensive over, conceding 18 runs including costly wide balls. Left-arm seamer Saurabh Netravalkar proved to be the USA’s trump card in the Super Over. He conceded only 13 runs and picked up a crucial wicket, securing a historic victory for the USA team.
The American fairytale continues 🇺🇸😍
USA beat Pakistan in one of the biggest results in #T20WorldCup history and are ready to take on India next.
Get your tickets now ➡️ https://t.co/FokQ0Cegga pic.twitter.com/ydqEQ3Onbx
— ICC (@ICC) June 6, 2024
This defeat is a major setback for Pakistan, especially considering their upcoming encounter with arch-rivals India on Sunday. Pakistan captain Babar Azam acknowledged the USA’s superior performance across all aspects of the game, particularly their disciplined bowling which restricted Pakistan to a manageable total of 159 runs.
The USA looked well on course for a straightforward win thanks to a solid opening partnership between captain Monank Patel (50 runs) and Andries Gous (35 runs). However, Pakistan clawed their way back into the match with crucial wickets in quick succession.
Pakistan’s batting woes, which have plagued them for the past year in T20 cricket, were further exposed by the disciplined USA bowling attack. Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan failed to provide a solid foundation, and the middle-order struggled on a slow wicket. Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige’s 3 wickets and brilliant fielding all around put Pakistan on the back foot early on.
While Babar Azam managed to become the world’s leading T20 run-scorer, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record, his 44-run knock off 43 balls wasn’t good enough to save Pakistan from the upset. Only a late cameo by Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi helped Pakistan reach a slightly respectable total.
The USA’s victory against Pakistan shows the growing strength of American cricket. This win will undoubtedly inspire young USA players and raise awareness about the sport in the country. While Pakistan will be looking to bounce back from this defeat, the USA has sent a strong message to the other teams competing in the T20 World Cup 2024.
