Cricket has finally arrived in the USA!
The 2024 T20 World Cup, being hosted by the USA and West Indies, witnessed a seismic event on Thursday, as the U.S. claimed a stunning victory over traditional heavyweights of the sport, Pakistan, via a thrilling "Super Over."
Against the might of one of the biggest cricketing nations in the world, the U.S. was given little to no chance at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas. But thanks to the heroics of an engineer at a tech firm, and led by a host of expat Indian players, it did the unthinkable.
Pakistan — winners of the tournament in 2009 and ranked sixth in the world — batted first and scored 159 in its 20 overs, thanks to knocks by star batsman Babar Azam (44) and Shadab Khan (40).
The U.S. also managed 159 in its allotted overs, after Nitish Kumar scored a four off the final ball with his team requiring five runs to win. That meant the scores were tied, sending the game to a shootout in a "Super Over," where both sides have one more set of six balls to score as many runs as they can in order to break the deadlock.
Pakistan conceded 18 runs, thanks to sloppy fielding and bowling, while the U.S. managed to restrict the Asian giants to just 13 runs in reply.
Saurabh Netravalkar — a 32-year-old whose day job sees him work for a prominent tech firm — was the hero with some expert bowling to close out the result, leaving cricket fans worldwide reeling.
'Lost to India B side' — How cricket fans reacted to USA's stunning upset of Pakistan at T20 World Cup
Social media went into overdrive after the monumental win for the USA.
Many members of the U.S. team are expats from India, including captain Monank Patel. There were also the likes of Nitish, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh and more who are Indian-origin Americans.
Fans from the subcontinent were quick to make the connection ahead of the meeting between the two fiercest of rivals, India and Pakistan, in New York on June 9 with some expert trolling.
MORE: Full results, schedule and latest scores from the T20 Cricket World Cup
INDIA 'B' Team aka USA Win Against Pakistan 🔥🔥🔥#PakvsUSA pic.twitter.com/MD0CJViWhN
— 🕊𝐕 𝐄 𝐓 𝐓 𝐀 𝐘 𝐀 𝐍 ~💤💙 (@ITZ_VETTAYAN) June 6, 2024
Saurabh #Netravalkar , a full-time tech professional in an IT organization, has accomplished it for the #US ! #India B has secured a victory against #Pakistan !#T20IWorldCup2024 #USAvsPAK #CricketinUS #CricketinUSA https://t.co/4tkO6Z5T07 pic.twitter.com/qCL8dBnY6r
— Sai (@sai_whispers) June 6, 2024
MORE: USA squad for T20 World Cup, who are the stars who beat Pakistan?
USA matches at T20 Cricket World Cup
The U.S. has already beaten Canada and Pakistan. Next, it will face India and then Ireland in Florida at Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium on June 14.
Top of Group A, the U.S. now has a great chance to qualify for the knockout phase.
| Date | Group | Match | Start time (ET) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | A | USA beat Canada | 8:30 p.m. | Dallas, Texas |
| June 6 | A | USA beat Pakistan | 11:30 a.m. | Dallas, Texas |
| June 12 | A | USA vs. India | 10:30 a.m. | Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York |
| June 14 | A | USA vs. Ireland | 10:30 a.m. | Central Broward Park, Lauderhill, Florida |
Team USA's roster for T20 Cricket World Cup
Led by 31-year-old wicket-keeper batter Monank Patel, the USA squad carries a blend of experience with both proficient and young talents. The inclusion of former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson adds firepower, with his experience in a World Cup final a valuable asset, albeit his best years may be behind him at the age of 33.
Almost half the squad is made up of players who have plied their trade in Indian domestic cricket at some point in their careers.
The team carries seasoned campaigners like Saurabh Netravalkar, the most capped USA player, Aaron Jones and Steven Taylor, who bring stability to the batting order.
In a massive injury boost for the team's bowling department, Ali Khan is fit for the tournament after shaking off a hamstring injury that kept him out of the recent Canada series. Off-spinner Milind Kumar has also been included in the squad after impressing in the warm-up games.
USA T20 Cricket World Cup roster:
- Monank Patel (c)
- Aaron Jones (vc)
- Andries Gous
- Corey Anderson
- Ali Khan
- Harmeet Singh
- Jessy Singh
- Milind Kumar
- Nisarg Patel
- Nitish Kumar
- Noshtush Kenjige
- Saurabh Netravalkar
- Shadley van Schalkwyk
- Steven Taylor
- Shayan Jahangir
- Gajanand Singh (reserve)
- Juanoy Drysdale (reserve)
- Yasir Mohammad (reserve)
How to Watch T20 Cricket World Cup in USA and Canada
Fans and audiences in the United States and Canada will be able to watch the 2024 T20 World Cup games live exclusively on WillowTV.
Willow Sports is a cable TV channel, but if it's not included in your current lineup or you've cut the cord, it's available on Fubo.
Fubo is now offering Willow TV as part of its expanded sports offering. In addition to live matches, you can also watch replays and highlights on demand any time from any device. Start your free trial today to follow all of the action.
You can also stream the tournament live on Sling TV, which is currently offering new subscribers $20 off their first month.
If the 2024 T20 World Cup matches are not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
WATCH FROM ANYWHERE: Sign up for NordVPN (30-day moneyback guarantee)