India Advances in T-20 World Cup With Narrow Win Over USA

India Advances in T-20 World Cup With Narrow Win Over USA

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Pakistan’s prayers for an Indian victory were answered on Thursday, June 12 but only partially, as India defeated the USA by 7 wickets in a gripping match to qualify for the next round of the ongoing T-20 World Cup.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first at a packed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Backed by the superb bowling of Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh, who took 4 wickets for just 9 runs in his four overs, the US scored 110 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. In response, India chased down the target, scoring 111 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 18.2 overs.

The scorecard does not fully capture the tension India faced during the run chase. The team struggled against the inexperienced US attack, led by seamer Saurabh Netrawalkar, who claimed 2 wickets in his 4 overs, conceding only 18 runs. His victims included Indian openers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, leaving India at a precarious 10-2 at one stage.

The Indian-American community expressed their appreciation for the US team’s performance, which forced India to work hard for their victory. This was evident as Suryakumar Yadav, one of the most explosive batsmen in T-20 cricket, scored his slowest half-century, taking 49 deliveries to score an unbeaten 50 to guide India to victory.

“If the USA created some anxiety in the Indian camp, I am happy. The USA team won hearts and has created a larger fan base. This is good for cricket in the USA—win or lose,” Hemant Buch, owner of California Cricket Academy, told indica.

Vijay Beniwal, owner of the Seattle Thunderbolts, also praised the US team’s effort, saying, “USA displayed good skills to compete and should be proud of getting this close.”

With this victory, India qualified for the second round of the T-20 World Cup from Group A, following their wins against Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA. India will play its last group match against Canada on Saturday, while the US team faces a must-win match against Ireland on Friday to keep their hopes alive for the next round. The top two teams from each of the four groups will qualify, which will be played in the West Indies.

Despite the traditional rivalry between India and Pakistan, Pakistan was hoping for an Indian victory against the USA by a huge margin. However, India won only in the 19th over, leaving Pakistan’s qualification chances hanging by a thread. Pakistan must now win its final match against Ireland on Sunday by a big margin, a scenario dependent on Ireland defeating the USA. The net run rate might become crucial if multiple teams end up with two victories each in Group A.

Scoring runs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium was challenging once again. The drop-in pitch from Australia has yet to settle, offering variable bounce and making stroke play difficult. Supported by contributions from Nitish Kumar (27 runs off 24 balls) and Steven Taylor (24 runs off 30 balls), the US team managed to post 110 runs. The home team missed their captain Monank Patel, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Patel’s aggressive half-century had helped the US tie their match against Pakistan, which the host nation won in the super over.

Aaron Jones, standing in as captain, showed his inexperience as the US team was penalized 5 runs at the end of the 15th over under a new rule for taking more than 60 seconds in starting the next over three times during the Indian innings. This shifted the momentum, allowing Indian batsmen to play more freely and wrap up the match. Alongside Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube remained unbeaten on 31 runs, stitching a crucial 72-run partnership in 65 balls.

With the US leg of the tournament now shifting to Lauderhill, Florida, where the Sri Lanka vs Nepal match was washed out on Wednesday, the round of low-score thrillers at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium might be over. The tournament could see the bat dominating the ball again, enhancing the spectator-friendly nature of T-20 cricket.

Arshdeep Singh was adjudged Player of the Match for his splendid bowling. Despite their defeat, the US team’s performance against India and their victory over Pakistan bode well for the future of cricket in the land of baseball.