Co-host USA cause first biggest upset in T20 World Cup

USA players celebrate their Super Over win over Pakistan 

• Beat Pakistan in historic triumph after thrilling Super Over win

Co-hosts USA delivered a legendary cricketing upset with a Super Over win over 2022 finalists Pakistan after both sides finished their T20 World Cup Group A match tied on 159 at Dallas on Thursday.

The game went to the extra over when co-hosts and debutants USA scored 14 in the final over to tie Pakistan’s total.

Batting first in the Super Over, the USA then ramped up the pressure on their opponents by making 18 for one, with Aaron Jones scoring 11 before being run out and seven runs coming via extras.

Iftikhar Ahmed then took Pakistan to five for none off three balls before he was brilliantly caught by Nitish Kumar close to the boundary and USA bowler Saurabh Netravalkar restricted them to 13 for one.

Having already beaten Canada in their opener last Sunday by seven wickets, Group A leaders USA now have a great chance of making it to the Super Eights round. The top two from the four groups progress to the last eight of the tournament.

In their regulation innings, Pakistan made a slow start, recovering from 26 for three in the fifth over to reach 159-7.

Pakistan Captain Babar Azam hit two sixes in his 43-ball 44 (3 fours), Shadab Khan struck 40 off 25 deliveries (1 four, 3 sixes) and number eight Shaheen Afridi plundered 23* off 16 (1 four, 2 sixes). The USA appeared to be cruising in reply, as they reached 104-1 in the 14th over. Skipper Monank Patel’s 38-ball 50 (7 fours, 1 six) and Andries Gous’ 35 off 26 deliveries (5 fours, 1 six) left them needing 56 to win off 44 balls. After Monank was dismissed in the 15th over USA needed a six from Aaron Jones off the third last ball and a four from Nitish Kumar off the final delivery to tie the match and force the Super Over.

Patel, who won the Player of the Match award, described the result as a “big achievement”.

“It was a complete team effort from the first ball until the last ball. Winning the toss, we made sure that we utilised the conditions and credit to the bowlers. They kept them under 160 and we knew that 160 was a chase-able target.”

Pakistan Captain Babar Azam bemoaned his side’s batting performance. “We didn’t capitalise with the bat and they took a lot of momentum. “We lost back-to-back wickets in the middle overs. As a batting unit you need to step up, you need to create partnerships and we didn’t do that. Credit to the USA, they performed so well. They were better than us in all aspects of the game.”

Scores: Pakistan 159-7 (20) (Babar Azam 44, Shadab Khan 40, Shaheen Afridi 23*, Nosthush Kenjige 3/30, Saurabh Netravalkar 2/18)

USA 159-3 (20) (Monank Patel 50, Andries Gous 35, Aaron Jones 36*)

Super Over: USA 18-0 (1); Pakistan 13-1 (1)