The USA pulled off one of the biggest shocks in cricket history as they beat Pakistan in a super over in Dallas on Thursday night.
Playing in their first World Cup, the hosts were well on course to secure the win earlier in their reply when they needed just 56 runs from the final seven overs, with nine wickets in hand, to overhaul Pakistan’s modest 159-7.
However the momentum shifted and a dramatic finale ensued as Nitish Kumar cracked four off the final ball of the USA reply to tie the scores on 159 and force the tie-breaker.
Mohammad Amir sent down three wides as the hosts nation scored 18 off the super over, leaving the 2009 winners needing to score 19 off left-arm paceman Saurabh Netravalkar, a former India under-19 player who now works in Silicon Valley.
Netravalkar held his nerve after collecting 2-18 from his four overs earlier and Kumar came to the fore again as he took a fine catch at long-off to dismiss the dangerous Iftikhar Ahmed with 14 runs needed from four deliveries.
Seven were needed from the final ball for a Pakistan win but Shadab Khan was only able to scramble a single leaving the USA winners by five runs in the super over and leaving Group A wide-open.
Co-hosts USA go top of Group A after their incredible win against Pakistan in Dallas 📈
How it happened ➡️ HTTPS://T.CO/J4XNOVADOZ PIC.TWITTER.COM/GJYCARKTNL
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) JUNE 7, 2024
US skipper Monank Patel won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision which paid dividends as the visitors were reduced to 26-3 late in the fifth over with Steven Taylor taking a superb slip catch to oust Mohammad Rizwan for just nine.
Skipper Babar Azam steadied the ship with 44 at just better than a run a ball and shared a stand of 72 in eight overs with Shadab Khan, who smashed three sixes in his 40 off 25 balls to help guide his side to their total of 159-7.
The USA only played their first ever international match in 2019 and had only chased 160 twice before, however Monank and Taylor made 36 for the opening wicket and then the captain added 68 with Andries Gous.
Gous was bowled by Haris Rauf for 35 off 26 balls before Monank fell toAmir in the next over for 50 off 38 balls which featured seven fours and a six.
Pakistan regained the initiative but Aaron Jones kept the hosts in the hunt, needing 21 from the final two overs and 15 off the last for victory.
The game looked up with 12 required off the final three balls for victory but Jones clubbed a full-toss from Haris Rauf for six and then scrambled a single off the penultimate ball before Nitish lofted the final ball over mid-off to the ropes to level the scores and tee-up the super over.
It’s been an incredible journey for USA’s Super Over hero, Saurabh Netravalkar 🌟#T20WORLDCUP PIC.TWITTER.COM/HELRJB4OH4
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) JUNE 7, 2024
