In a breathtaking showdown at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday, the USA overcame Pakistan in a dramatic super over in the T20 World Cup. Ask to bat first, Pakistan posted a total of 159/7 which the co-host matched to drag the game into the super over. The Monank Patel-led team then amassed 18/1 in the super-over and curtailed Pakistan to 13/1, notching up their second victory. The co-host had beaten Canada in the World Cup opener.
Pakistan’s had a bad start, with Rizwan (9), Usman Khan (3), and Fakhar Zaman (11) going back to the pavilion inside the powerplay. Babar Azam (44) and Shadab Khan (40) steadied the ship. Azam played cautiously while Shadab injected pace into the innings to keep the scoreboard moving.
As Pakistan’s top order faltered, Shaheen Afridi’s unbeaten 23 off 16 balls at the tail end bolstered their total, propelling them past the 150-run threshold.
Nosthush Kenjige shone with the ball for the USA, capturing three wickets. Saurabh Netravalkar claimed two wickets, surpassing Nisarg Patel’s tally of 27 wickets to become the leading wicket-taker for the USA in T20Is. Ali Khan and Jasdeep Singh added a wicket each to their names.
The USA’s response saw Steven Taylor (12) fall early, but captain Monank Patel (50) and Andries Gous (35) constructed a solid 68-run partnership for the second wicket. After both set batters were dismissed in quick succession, Aaron Jones (36*) and Nitish Kumar (14*) took charge in the death overs. Despite Pakistani bowlers mounting a spirited comeback, Nitish Kumar struck Haris Rauf over mid-off for a boundary with five needed off the last ball, leveling the scores and sending the game into a super over.
Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf each took a wicket, with Rauf proving costly in the process.
Key Moments of the Match:
USA bowlers unsettle Pakistan in the Powerplay
Mohammad Rizwan launched Pakistan’s innings with a six off the third ball, but Netravalkar struck back quickly, trapping Rizwan in the second over. Following this, Nosthush Kenjige and Ali Khan removed Usman Khan and Fakhar Zaman, respectively, putting Pakistan in a precarious position.
Shadab Khan’s rapid knock stabilizes Pakistan
After early wickets, Babar Azam struggled initially to score swiftly. Shadab Khan’s brisk 25-ball 40 restored momentum for Pakistan, recovering from the early blows inflicted by the USA bowlers. 
USA starts strong in the powerplay
Monank Patel and Steven Taylor added 36 runs for the first wicket, with Taylor departing for 12 runs. The USA skipper carefully navigated through the overs from Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, and Naseem Shah, leading his side to a solid 44/1 start.
Pakistan bowlers rally in the death overs
With 34 needed off the last four overs and 7 wickets in hand, the game favored the USA. However, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, and Shaheen Afridi’s experience in the death overs turned the tide, reducing the target to 15 off the final over. Haris Rauf, however, conceded 14 runs in the final over, pushing the game into a super over.
Super-Over Drama
Aaron Jones scored 11 runs off 6 balls in the super over for the USA, while Mohammad Amir’s 7 extras helped the USA reach 18/1.
Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman couldn’t surpass the USA’s super over score. Netravalkar dismissed Iftikhar for 4 runs and conceded 13 in the over, sealing the victory for the USA.
This defeat has cast doubts over Pakistan’s World Cup campaign, leaving them in a near must-win scenario. Another loss could shatter their hopes of advancing to the Super 8.
Pakistan faces their arch-rivals India at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, on June 9. The Parimatch odds for Pakistan in this fixture stand at 1.90x.
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