LARKSPUR — It was a historic moment in cricket when the U.S. team defeated Pakistan in the T20 Cricket World Cup, marking the team’s biggest win ever on the world stage, and it was Marin County native Saurabh Netravalkar who led the team to victory.
“One of the Marine fan favourites is Saurabh Netravalkar, having played for us for a few years,” said Marine Cricket Club chairman Nick Lynam. “He was the bowler, the left-arm bowler who bowled the last over, which was the super over, and the team won the match.”
Matt Roberts (via Getty Images)
Lynam is originally from England and has been instrumental in developing cricket here in the Bay Area, and this win for the U.S. team over Pakistan shows how far cricket has come in this country.
“It’s a big accomplishment for the U.S. cricket team to beat Pakistan,” Lynam said. “It’s a really proud moment for them.”
There are several cricket clubs in the Bay Area — Mayank Bhatnagar and Sunil Singh play for the East Bay Eagles — who are still amazed by the USA’s major upset.
“Honestly, it’s unreal,” Mayank Bhatnagar said. “Pakistan is a strong team, so no one expected that.” Sunil Singh is not only a player in the Bay Area, but also an umpire. It was an unbelievable moment to see a player he refereed shine in a match.
“With Saurabh, I lived and breathed every single ball, but he stood tall,” Singh said.
So what is the reason for the US’s success? It’s impossible to point to just one thing, but increased funding and a more diverse cast of players from traditionally strong cricket programs could be some of the contributing factors.
“These guys are all top-level players, but they’re struggling because the U.S. isn’t known for cricket,” Lynam said. “So they’re trying to get a foothold in the cricket world.” The U.S. is one win away from advancing to the next round. To get there, the U.S. must beat either Ireland or India. Mayank and Sunil, who moved to the U.S. from India, will be rooting for both countries, but most of all, they’ll be rooting for the sport they love.
“Not love of country, but love of cricket,” Singh said. “So, we are here for the love of cricket.”
