WESTBURY, N.Y. (AP) — There were no upsets this time around as the host U.S. team was easily defeated by cricketing powerhouse India in the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Suryakumar Yadav’s fifty led India to a seven-wicket win over the USA. Pakistan is shocked last week.
The win propelled India through to the Super Eight round, while the United States can reach the knockout stage with a win against Ireland on Friday.
Later, at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, Sherfaan Rutherford scored a non-scoring 68 off 39 balls to help the West Indies come from behind to beat the co-hosts by 13 runs against New Zealand.
The Caribbean were 149-9 after 20 overs but were down to 76-7 before Rutherford’s heroics put them back on the board. Alzarri Joseph took four New Zealand wickets and Gudakesh Moti three (including one for New Zealand captain Kane Williamson) to limit the Black Caps to 136-9.
At Long Island, Yadvav scored 50 runs off 49 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes, and he shared a fourth-wicket stand with Shivam Dube for 72 runs off 65 balls as India posted 111-3 in 18.2 overs to reply to the USA’s 110-8.
Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh took figures of 4-9, including two wickets in the first over, to keep the co-hosts in check after India won the coin toss and opted to field at the Nassau County International Stadium.
India struggled early in their chase. Saurabh Netravalkar, an Indian-born medium fast bowler He continued his golden career as a member of the US national team.
After leading the co-hosts to an upset over Pakistan, he celebrated the wickets of Indian superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Kohli was out off the first ball for a golden duck in what will surely be a career highlight for Netravalkar, before Sharma (3) was run out off a slow ball, leaving Netravalkar with 2-18 in his fourth over.
Rishabh Pant, batting at number three, scored 18 off 20 balls before being run out by Ali Khan’s delivery, and with India struggling at 39 for 3 after 7.3 overs, the US team briefly looked set to have an even bigger shock.
West Indies advance
The left-hander came into bat with West Indies struggling at 22 for 4 after 5.4 overs and turned the fortunes of the local team around, scoring 18 with a six and a boundary in the final over.
The loss means New Zealand are unlikely to progress to the second round – a win for Afghanistan over Papua New Guinea on Thursday will see the three-time runners-up eliminated.
The Black Caps had the upper hand for much of the first half of the match.
However, Rutherford continued to attack and West Indies made the score 58 for 2 in the final five overs of the innings.
When star all-rounder Andre Russell was run out for 14 in the 13th over, he scored 15 off 14 balls and fuelled a fightback along with the lower order, hitting six sixes and two boundaries in his 72-minute innings.
“I’m happy to have contributed to the team, it’s what we live for and what we work hard for,” man-of-the-match Rutherford said during the innings break. “It was a very tough court to start on and I think 149 is a great score on this wicket.”
After the game, Rutherford struck a more optimistic tone, saying, “This is just the beginning of big things to come. Hopefully we can keep winning and keep the momentum going.”
New Zealand won the toss and chose to field, and got off to a strong start with Trent Boult (3-16) bowling opener Johnson-Charles to end the first over.
Tim Southee (2-21), making his comeback after being defeated in New Zealand’s opener against Afghanistan, dismissed dangerous man Nicholas Pooran for 12 in the fourth over to induce three runs for three wickets.
Lockie Ferguson deceived Roston Chase with a slower ball to make it 21-3, and then captain Rovman Powell (1) was caught backwards by Southee five balls later.
Russell went on the attack but was caught deep off a Boult delivery for a run out and it looked an insurmountable setback until Rutherford came up with the challenge.
“The quality of Scharfein’s innings was high,” New Zealand captain Williamson said. “Their depth in batting certainly helped us. There are no excuses, we just have to find a way.”
___
AP Cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
