In a stunning upset, the United States cricket team pulled off a remarkable victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, marking the first shock upset of the tournament. Led by skipper Monank Patel, the US team defeated the 2009 T20 world champions by five runs in a thrilling match that went down to a Super Over.
The match, which took place in Dallas, saw Pakistan being sent in to bat first after the US won the toss and elected to field. However, Pakistan’s top order failed to deliver, with key players like Muhammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, and Fakhar Zaman departing for single-digit scores. Skipper Babar Azam and all-rounder Shadab Khan tried to stabilize the innings with scores of 44 and 40 runs respectively, but it was pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s unbeaten 23 runs that helped Pakistan reach a total of 159/7 in 20 overs.
Despite setting a competitive target, Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to defend it as the US team fought back. Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar were the standout bowlers for the US, restricting the Pakistani batters and leading the match to a tie that was eventually decided by a Super Over.
US captain Monank Patel played a crucial role in the chase, scoring 50 runs from 38 balls and guiding his team to a total of 159/3 in 20 overs. In the Super Over, Pakistan fell short of the 19-run target set by the US, finishing at 13/1 and handing the Americans a historic victory.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) took to social media to celebrate the momentous win, hailing it as “HISTORY MADE” and praising the US team for their remarkable performance against a strong opponent like Pakistan.
With this victory, the US team now sits at the top of the table with four points from two matches, while traditional powerhouses like India, Pakistan, Canada, and Ireland are yet to open their account in the World Cup. The unexpected result has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, showcasing the growing competitiveness and unpredictability of the T20 format.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the United States team as they look to build on this momentum and continue their impressive run in the T20 World Cup. The thrilling victory over Pakistan has not only put them on the map but has also established them as a force to be reckoned with in international cricket.