The United States pulled off a significant upset at the T20 World Cup by defeating cricket powerhouse Pakistan in the super over on Thursday.
Having already dominated Canada in their first Group A match, beating the 2022 runner-up Pakistan is a historic achievement for a country where cricket is not widely understood.
Meanwhile, Scotland claimed the top spot in Group B with a five-wicket victory over Namibia at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Namibia scored 155-9, and Scotland successfully chased down the target with nine balls to spare.
Aaron Jones, who delivered an impressive unbeaten 94 off 40 balls against Canada, once again shined for the co-hosts of the tournament with a crucial knock of 36 not out off 26 balls that took the game into a super over.
In the super over, Jones scored crucial runs off Mohammad Amir, helping the U.S. to score 18 runs against Pakistan. Left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar then restricted Pakistan to 13 runs in the super over, leading the U.S. to a historic Twenty20 victory against the 2009 champion.
Pakistan’s experienced fast bowler, Haris Rauf, faltered in the final over of regulation, allowing the U.S. to tie the score at 159 and eventually secure the win in the super over.
Captain Monank Patel expressed his pride in the team’s performance, emphasizing their ability to capitalize on the conditions and restrict Pakistan to a chaseable total.
Scotland’s win over Namibia was highlighted by Captain Richie Berrington’s unbeaten 47 and a crucial partnership with Michael Leask, guiding their team to victory. Leask’s all-round performance earned him the player of the match award.
The victory propelled Scotland to the top of Group B, ahead of Australia and Namibia, setting up an exciting clash with England in the upcoming matches.
