USA 159 for 3 (Monak 50, Jones 36*, Gous 35) batting Pakistan 159 for 7 (Babar 44, Shadab 40, Kenjige 3-30, Netravalkar 2-18) in Super Over
USA shut down Pakistan’s experienced top order, put the batsmen on their heels, and produced a limited batting total of 159-all.
This forced the match into a Super Over, and it was then that the USA proved to be the veteran team on the circuit while Pakistan went into high-pressure-meltdown mode.
Mohammad Amir, the veteran Pakistani bowler, bowled three wides in his Super Over, the US batsmen stole another run each time, and Mohammad Rizwan conceded another run by bowling the last of these overs. wide.
Due to extras and some indiscipline from Pakistan, USA made 18 in their Super Over.
Due to the four legs in the penalty shootout, Shadab Khan had a chance to send the game to the second over if he hit a six off the last ball. He could hit it deep, everywhere.
The USA was happy, taking down the biggest opposition they had ever faced. Pakistan, ahead of its biggest match against India, has faced its biggest World Cup setbacks. It’s not like Pakistan had it in their hands until it slipped – the USA had dominated the game for a long time.
Left-arm seamer Netravalkar had Rizwan caught at slip – brilliantly by Steven Taylor – to start, for the second time. Then, in the third over, left-arm bowler Nosthush Kenjige got Usman Khan to play long, bringing Pakistan’s score to 14 for 2.
Others would take wickets in the middle, of course, but these two will continue to impose themselves.
Pakistan made just 35 runs in the powerplay, and Netravalkar bowled three overs for just eight runs in that phase. Kenjige came back in the middle overs and made some important deliveries, dismissing Shadab Khan, who looked too slick for Pakistan’s batsmen, for 40 off 25 balls, before getting Azam Khan’s first delivery with a quick slider. In all, the duo took 5 for 48 in eight overs between them.
Netravalkar bowls a Super Over, and concedes only one for four, which is a bonus.
The USA measured in their own way
Although this will be the USA’s first major giant-killing act on the world stage, their limited batting performance did not give the impression of being a bolt from the blue. Their openers were not separated by five overs, but made only 36 together.
Monank provided many highlights in this partnership, making 50 off 38, hitting seven fours and one brilliant six down the stretch to reach his half-century, off Shaheen Shah Afridi. He got out soon after, but he had left the USA in a potentially successful position.
Pakistan is taking things back to the death
Even though Monank and Gous were out with 35 balls left, Pakistan still had to bowl well, USA only needed 49. Naseem Shah, Shaheen and Amir shone in the death overs to leave USA needing 15 off the last over. Haris Rauf, putting his yorkers there or there, reduced the equation to 12 for 3.
However, Jones hit a six on the full stump of the stumps, and with five needed off the last ball, Nitish Kumar hit four overs at mid-off to tie the game.
Super over mayhem
It was at this point, however, that the most experienced international team lost their heads, and the USA kept theirs. Both teams scored four runs each in their Super Overs. But Pakistan’s misdirection in terms of expansion and subversion cost them. USA won the Super Over 18 to 13.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf
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