On Thursday, the United States, a team not playing in Test matches, beat Pakistan in a Super Over in the T20 World Cup in what could be arguably the greatest day in cricket history.
In the Group A match played in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, both teams scored 159 runs in the usual 20 overs.
The Americans then batted first in a Super Over bowled by veteran Pakistan left-arm fastballer Mohammed Amir, but managed just 18 runs thanks to some panicked overthrows resulting in some wides and runs.
India-born paceman Saurabh Netravalkar kept his cool but Pakistan, runners-up in the 2022 T20 World Cup and winners in 2009, could only manage a fightback of 13-1.
Pakistan were 5-0 up with three balls to go when Netravalkar took a brilliant catch low down by Kumar off Iftikhar Ahmed’s delivery.
With seven runs needed off the final ball, Shadab Khan couldn’t get the six that would have forced a second Super Over, sparking wild celebrations among the USA team and the home fans.
“It’s a huge achievement,” said US captain Monank Patel, whose fifty was the cornerstone of his team’s post-159 total in the 20 overs.
“We beat Pakistan because it was our first ever match against them. I’m very proud of the way we played. We showed proper teamwork from the first ball to the last.”
Pakistan were restricted to 159-7 in the tournament’s opening match with left-arm speedster Netravalkar taking just 2-18.
Having been on track for victory, the USA were on the brink of defeat when they needed 12 runs off the final three balls of the innings.
But Aaron Jones, the scoring hero in the group opener against Canada, smashed Haris Rauf for a six before Nitish Kumar smashed a full toss off the final ball for a four to help the tournament’s co-hosts level the score.
It was a landmark result in modern American cricket, even taking into account the USA’s recent 2-1 one-day international series win over Bangladesh and Pakistan’s notoriously poor starts to the tournament.
– “Better than us” –
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was harsh in his assessment of his team’s performance, saying: “We failed to capitalise on our batting and we let the opposition take the momentum away from us.”
He added: “We weren’t as good with the ball as we usually are in the first six overs and didn’t get any wickets again. But credit to the USA, they performed brilliantly today and were better than us in every aspect of the game.”
The Americans were on track to win at 104 for 1 in the 14th over after a 68-run partnership between Patel and Andries Guth, but when the India-born Patel was caught backwards off a delivery by Amir the Americans were trailing 111 for 3.
Earlier, American left-arm spinner Nostash Kenjige, who started the innings, took 30 runs, including two wickets off two balls, in his longest four overs.
Mohammed Rizwan was brilliantly caught one-handed by Steven Taylor at slip off a Netravalkar ball before Usman Khan holed out a Kenjige ball to put Pakistan on 14 for 2.
Pakistan were struggling at 26 for 3 but a combined 72 from Azam (44 off 43 balls) and Shadab Khan (40 off 25 balls) rallied the innings and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s not-scored 23 at the back of the order extended the total.
Both teams will next face India in New York. Pakistan plays arch rivals India on Sunday and the US plays again on Wednesday.
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