United States Cricket Stuns Pakistan With Super Over Win in Group A
DALLAS, Texas – Co-hosts United States pulled off the biggest upset of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup so far when they beat Pakistan in a super over in their Group A match on Thursday on home soil.
India-born left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, a bowling hero for the Americans in the regulation overs, held his nerve and conceded 13 in the extra over to earn his side a famous win against the visitors.
Pakistan had trusted Mohammad Amir with the extra over in preference to fellow left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, but the experienced paceman gave away 18 including seven off wides, and a boundary for Aaron Jones and loose fielding that led to wild overthrows did not help the cause.
Nitish Kumar hit a boundary off the final ball of the regulation overs from fast bowler Haris Rauf tied the match and forced the Super Over after the United States finished on 159 for three, replying to the Pakistan total of 159 for seven.
United States captain Monank Patel hit 50 off 38 balls to give his side early momentum in the chase, and he added 68 for the second wicket Andries Gous to keep them on track.
Gous fell for 35 in the 14th over, and Patel tumbled in the next over with the Americans requiring 48 from 35 balls.
Former Barbados Pride batsman Aaron Jones, the American batting hero against Canada in the tournament openers, held the rest of the innings together with 36 not out before Kumar scripted his dramatic finish to the regulation overs.
“It’s a big achievement, beating Pakistan while playing for the first time (against them),” Patel said. “We used the conditions well, (and) kept them to 160, which was chaseable.”
For Pakistan, it was another tough start to a global tournament, and they will quickly have to pick up the pieces ahead of a big clash with political and sporting arch-rivals, India on Sunday at the Nassau County Stadium in the state of New York.
“All credit to the USA who did well in all the three departments and that’s why they won,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said. “We couldn’t capitalise during the first six overs. We took the momentum, but back-to-back wickets hurt us.”
Earlier, Babar made 44 from 43 balls and Shadab Khan hit 40 from 25 balls, and Pakistan recovered from the loss of early wickets before lusty hitting from Afridi boosted their final total.
Nosthush Kenjige was the pick of the American bowlers taking three for 30 from four overs, and Netravalkar grabbed two for 18 from four overs.
