07 June 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : Since receiving formal T20I status alongside all other Associate Nations from January 1, 2019, the United States men’s cricket team has played 30 matches and won 19 of them.
Two memorable wins were born last month in the bid to their maiden T20 World Cup when they trumped Bangladesh 2-1 in the preparatory bilateral tie at home. Despite having no prior experience at the World Cup stage, the co-hosts of the ninth T20 World Cup opened the tournament with a sensational 194-run chase against Canada in Dallas – the third highest ever in the T20 World Cup.
Come Thursday, in their first major challenge of this edition, the United States handed a massive jolt to Pakistan, the 2009 champion and finalists of the previous edition, with a pulsating Super Over win. It was the second Super Over of the current edition and only the fifth tie ever in the World Cups. Pakistan have now been at the receiving end of two losses in T20 World Cup ties, having lost in the first such instance against India in 2007 where a bowl-out was used as the tie-breaker.
Thursday’s loss, however, has put Pakistan in a state of uncertainty with tougher games against India and Ireland to follow in Group A. Meanwhile, the United States find themselves at an unprecedented high at the top of the group with two wins for now.
Multi-cultural coalesce
The clinical win with performances across batting, bowling and fielding departments was orchestrated by a group of multi-cultural and multi-continental cricketers who have found a fresh run in international cricket with the United States.
Corey Anderson, a former ODI World Cup runner-up with New Zealand in 2015, is easily the most recognised figure from the US side in the cricketing landscape. But here is a closer look at some of the other architects of the famous win over Pakistan in their first-ever meeting in Dallas:
Monank Patel
Born in the ‘Milk Capital of India’ in Anand, Gujarat, Monank laboured dreams of representing USA, migrating to the country after having represented his Indian state at the age-group levels.
He displayed his wares against a solid Pakistan attack on Thursday when he steered a 160-run chase with a 38-ball half-century laced with seven fours and a six.
Saurabh Netravalkar
A lanky left-arm seamer, Mumbai-born Netravalkar was India’s highest wicket-taker at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. His efforts with the ball were not enough then to see off Pakistan in the quarterfinals but Netravalkar may have somewhat come to terms with that memory last night when he pinned Pakistan in the regulation match and the Super Over.
Netravalkar drew first blood for US with the scalp of Mohammad Rizwan before returning at the death to dismiss Iftikhar Ahmed and finished his four-over quota with figures of 2/19. After the batters ransacked 18 runs in the Super Over later, Netravalkar displayed his finesse with the ball to secure a historic win. A technical staff member with American tech giants Oracle since 2016, Netravalkar who previous represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, debuted for US in 2019. He has picked up 73 ODI and 29 T20I wickets for the side in 77 appearances.
