The debutante USA has every reason to feel pleased with its performance in the T20 World Cup. It has not only created history by becoming the first debutante side to make the Super 8 round in this format of cricket but has also set several new records that may take a long time to be equalled or surpassed.
The top 20-nation instant cricket marquee event is being organized by the USA for the first time in collaboration with the West Indies. It started making its intentions clear to the rest of the world that by organising and participating in the most popular form of cricket for the first time, it means business.
In the opening game against its traditional rival and neighbour, Canada, it not only notched up the highest total of the tournament so far (197 for three in 17.4 overs) but also saw its batter Aaron Jones (94 not out made from 44 balls with the help of four boundaries and 10 sixes) remain the highest individual run-getter till the completion of 30 of 55 matches.
When the match between the USA and Ireland was abandoned due to unplayable conditions, it was only the second game. Earlier, the match between Sri Lanka and Nepal was also abandoned without a ball being bowled. Also, the match between Scotland and England ended without a result after Scotland made 90 for no loss in 10 overs. Rest all 27 of 30 matches were completed.
Besides Aaron Jones, another US batter to do well has been Andries Gaus who made 65 against Canada. He played 46 balls and hit seven boundaries and three hits to the maximum to become the fourth batsman to score 50 or more runs in the opening match of the tournament. The other two batters were Navneet Dhaliwal and Nicholas Kirton, both from Canada.
Navneet Dhaliwal made 61 from 44 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes while Nicholas Kirton played 31 balls, slammed three boundaries, and sent the ball to the maximum three times. Incidentally, this match was described as a game between two teams of the Indian Diaspora with the US getting the title of “Mini India”.
Team “Mini India” led by batter Monank Patel sprang a major upset when it defeated Pakistan in the Super over after holding their rivals to a draw in the regular 20-overs competition. After restricting star-studded Pakistan to 159 for seven in 20 overs, thanks to some superb bowling by players of Indian origin – Nosthush Kenjige (three for 30), Saurabh (2/18) and Jasdeep Singh 1/30 – the USA tied the score thanks to a brilliant half-century by skipper Monank Patel compiled from 38u balls with seven hits to the fence and a towering six besides useful knocks from Andries Gaus (35) made from 26 balls with five fours and a six, and unbeaten 36 from the highest scorer of the tournament so far, Aaron Jones. He was at the crease for 26 balls and hit two boundaries and as many sixes to push the game to “super over”. The US scored 18 for the loss of Aaron Jones’s wicket (he was run out)before restricting Pakistan to 13 runs to record a sensational five-run win.
In its third game against India, the USA played beyond its potential to notch up 110 for eight in 20 overs, thanks to some good batting by Steven Taylor 24, Aaron Jones 11, Nitish Kumar 27, Corey Anderson 15, and Harmeet Singh 10. The USA batting lineup was tormented by Arshdeep Singh who finished with superb figures of four for nine and Hardik Pandya (two for 14). When India chased the target of 111, it ran into some excellent bowling by Saurabh, who got the prize wickets of both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to end with the figures of two for 18. Though the USA lost the game but won the hearts of cricket fans the world over.
Luck favours the brave. It did when the fourth game of the USA against Ireland was abandoned because of unplayable conditions. The USA needed only a point to make a historic entry to the Super 8. And, mother nature provided it to a deserving home team.
In the Super 8, the US is drawn to play against South Africa on June 19 and the co-hosts, West Indies, on June 21 while its third opponent will be decided after the remaining group matches.
(Prabhjot Singh is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience of 14 years with Reuters News and 30 years with The Tribune Group, covering a wide spectrum of subjects and stories. He has covered Punjab and Sikh affairs for more than three decades besides covering seven Olympics and several major sporting events and hosting TV shows.)
