USA’s cricket team beats Pakistan in stunning upset at T20 World Cup

The United States stunned cricket powerhouse Pakistan in a historic T20 World Cup upset on Thursday—a remarkable feat for a nation where cricket remains largely unfamiliar.

In their opening match, the U.S. secured a dominant seven-wicket victory over Canada, with Aaron Jones delivering an unbeaten 94 off 40 balls. Jones continued his stellar form against Pakistan, scoring 36 not out off 26 balls, and propelling the game into a super over with a six off Haris Rauf and a single, followed by Nitish Kumar’s boundary on the final ball to tie the score at 159.

In the super over, Pakistan’s experienced fast bowler Mohammad Amir struggled, conceding 18 runs, including seven from wide balls, as Jones hit a boundary. Left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who earlier had an impressive 2-18 off four overs, gave away only 13 runs in the super over, securing the U.S. their most historic T20 win against the 2009 champions. Iftikhar Ahmed hit a boundary off Netravalkar’s second ball but was caught at long off, allowing Netravalkar to clinch the famous victory.

Netravalkar, a professional cricketer and a software engineer at Oracle in the San Francisco Bay Area, played a pivotal role in the win.

“It’s a big achievement,” U.S. captain Monank Patel said. “Beating Pakistan in our first game against them is monumental. We used the conditions well and kept them to 160, which was chaseable.”

Pakistan captain Babar Azam acknowledged the U.S. team’s superior performance. “All credit to the USA who excelled in all three departments,” Babar said. “We lost momentum early and couldn’t capitalize, which hurt us.”

The U.S. appeared poised for an upset during the regulation game, with Patel scoring 50 off 38 balls and Andries Gous adding 35, leading the team to 104-1 in 13 overs. However, Pakistan fought back, dismissing both batsmen in successive overs as the U.S. finished at 159-3. Patel and Gous shared a 68-run partnership, with Pakistan’s pace attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, unable to trouble them, and leg-spinner Shadab Khan performing below par.

Amir briefly revived Pakistan’s hopes by dismissing Patel with a slow off-cutter and clean bowling Gous. But Rauf, despite a 15-run cushion, couldn’t prevent Jones and Kumar from taking the game to a super over with crucial hits in the final deliveries.

Pakistan’s batting struggles in T20 continued against disciplined U.S. seam bowling. After Patel opted to field first, Pakistan was restricted to 159-7. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s reunion as an opening pair failed to provide stability, and the middle order faltered on a slow wicket.

Steven Taylor set the tone with a brilliant one-handed catch to dismiss Rizwan in the second over off Netravalkar. Nosthush Kenjige’s left-arm spin (3-30) troubled Pakistan early, leading to reckless shots from Usman Khan and Fakhar Zaman, who were dismissed cheaply, reducing Pakistan to 26-3 in the fifth over.

Babar (44) and Shadab Khan (40) attempted a recovery with a 72-run partnership before Kenjige broke the stand in the 13th over, with Netravalkar taking a sharp catch to dismiss Shadab. Azam Khan was dismissed lbw by Kenjige’s first ball, and Babar fell lbw to Jasdeep Singh in the 16th over after a scratchy 43-ball knock, leaving Pakistan at 125-6.

Late hitting from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who scored 23 off 16 balls with two sixes, lifted Pakistan’s total in the death overs, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the U.S. from achieving their historic victory.