US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller engaged in light-hearted conversation when reporters asked him about Pakistan’s shocking defeat to the US cricket team in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Cricket, a sport that is considered a religion in South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, has no comparable history in the United States.
In the United States, people mostly enjoy and participate in sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, American football etc. Nevertheless, the US cricket team made history on Thursday, June 6, by defeating Pakistan in a tense match at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Answering the question at a press conference, Miller gave a cheeky response while humbly acknowledging his own limited knowledge of cricket: “When I try to comment on things outside my area of expertise, I often get into trouble, and the Pakistan cricket team certainly falls into that category,” the White House official said.
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T20 World Cup: USA scores historic win over Pakistan
After many twists and turns at Grande Prairie Stadium, the US emerged victorious despite a tense match that ended in a super over with both teams scoring 159. Pakistan’s lackluster performance was characterised by poor catching and fielding mistakes.
Pakistan suffered an unexpected defeat in a major ICC cricket tournament co-hosted for the first time by the United States and the West Indies. Cricket is still relatively unknown in the United States despite its widespread popularity. The ICC hopes that the U.S. team’s victory will boost American interest in the sport.
Miller’s comments have injected some humour into the debate surrounding the US cricket team’s surprising victory in the country, and all eyes will be on the US team as they aim for further success and victories on the cricketing stage as the competition continues.
Commenting on his team’s success, USA captain Monank Patel, who was awarded the official Man of the Match award, called it a “great achievement.”
“It’s our first ever match against Pakistan and I’m really proud of how we played today,” he asserted.
India won Group A with four points from two wins and one loss, followed by the United States in second place. In the final match at Lauderhill, the U.S. will face Ireland on Friday, aiming to make history by qualifying for the Super Eight.
