USA shock cricketing heavyweights Pakistan in T20 World Cup after forcing a lead

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) — The United States pulled off a major T20 World Cup upset by defeating Pakistan in super heavyweight cricket on Thursday.

The United States beat Canada in its opening Group A match, but a win over Pakistan, the 2022 runner-up, is historic in a country that barely understands the rules of the game.

Scotland moved to the top of Group Two with a five-wicket win over Namibia later at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Namibia made 155-9 and Scotland reached their winning total with nine balls remaining.

Aaron Jones, who smashed an unbeaten 40-ball 94 against Canada, once again starred in the tournament’s hosts when he extended the match to superlatives with another vital knock of 36 off his 26 overs.

Off successive deliveries, Jones hit a six off Haris Rauf and then a single before a Nitish Kumar boundary off the final ball leveled the score at 159 at the end of regulation as the experienced fast bowler gave Pakistan 14 runs off the last six balls.

Pakistan were given a scare in the Super Bowl when hugely experienced fast bowler Mohammad Amir, favored over Shaheen Shah Afridi, gave away 18 runs which included seven runs of wide balls as Jones smashed boundaries against the left-arm seamer.

Left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who had earlier bowled brilliantly and took 2-18 from four overs, conceded just 13 runs in the Super Bowl to give the United States a historic 20th win over Pakistan, the 2009 champions.

Iftikhar Ahmed smashed the boundaries of Netravalkar’s second ball, before cruising wide as the left-arm seamer held his nerve and clinched a famous win for the USA.

“It’s a big achievement, beating Pakistan while playing for the first time (against them),” said Monank Patel, the US captain. “We made good use of the conditions (and) kept it at 160, which was chaseable.”

It has been a disastrous start for skipper Babar Azam’s Pakistan, who are scheduled to take on arch-rivals India on Sunday in New York.

“All thanks to the United States, which performed well in all three divisions, which is why it won,” Babar said. “We couldn’t capitalize during the first six overs. We got the momentum, but back-to-back wickets hurt us.

The Americans looked set to stun Pakistan during the regulation match when skipper Patel scored 50 off 38 balls and along with Andres Goss (35) helped thrash the home side to 104-1 in 13 overs before Pakistan came back and dismissed both their overs. In successive times, the United States finished with a score of 159-3.

Patel and Ghose added 68 runs for the second wicket as Pakistan’s four-man pace attack led by Shaheen Shah Afridi could not trouble them, and leg-spinner Shadab Khan also looked away, before offering the Emir of Pakistan a glimmer of hope.

Amir bowled Patel behind a slow cutter and Rauf bowled cleanly. But Rauf, who was bowled at the end by 15 runs, could not prevent Jones and Kumar taking the match to the super over with two big hits from the last three deliveries.

The Pakistan batting, which had been struggling for a year in the sport’s shortest format, suffered further against some disciplined American bowling after Patel won the toss and elected to field and restrict the opposition to 159-7.

The reunion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as the opening pair could not save them and the middle order faltered on a slow wicket.

Steven Taylor gave the home team the perfect start when he picked up a brilliant one-handed ball from the turf to dismiss Rizwan in the second over Netravalkar.

The left-arm spin of Nostosh Kenjiji (3-30) also troubled the Pakistani batsmen inside the power play as Usman Khan played a reckless shot and holed out while Fakhar Zaman’s weak delivery could not keep the bowler at short fine leg inside the 30th over as Pakistan slumped to 26- 3 in fifth place.

Babar (44) and Shadab Khan (40) tried to regain the momentum and raised their stand for 72 runs before Keniji broke the threatening stand in the 13th over when Shadab was brilliantly clipped by Netravalkar at fine short leg and Azam Khan was pinned leg before wicket. From the first ball by the left-arm spinner.

Babar, who became the world’s top T20 run-scorer and surpassed Virat Kohli’s tally of 4,038 runs, looked scratched in his 43-ball knock that included two sixes and three boundaries before falling lbw to Jasdeep Singh’s delivery in the 16th over as Pakistan slumped to 125-6.

It was only because of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 23 off 16 balls that included two late balls that took Pakistan’s total in deaths.

Scotland wins

Captain Richie Berrington made an unbeaten 47 off 35 balls and shared a 74-run fifth-wicket partnership with Michael Lisk (35 off 17) that led Scotland to their first win over Namibia in four T20 internationals.

Scotland took a point from their rain-hit opening match against England, and now sit top of Group B on three points, ahead of Australia and Namibia on two. Namibia beat Oman in the Super Over in its first match.

Australia plays England on Saturday.

Captain Gerhard Erasmus made 52 off 30 balls and put on 51 for the fifth wicket with Zane Green (28) as Namibia made 155-9 after electing to bat.

Namibia lost three wickets in the powerplay and Erasmus took it from 48-3 at that stage to 105-6 when he was bowled out in the 14th over. He then took 2-14, bowling the eighth and 10th, to leave Scotland 69-3 at midway through the innings when the game seemed to be tilted in Namibia’s favour.

But Berrington and Lisk, coming together when Scotland were 73-4 after 11 overs, guided their side to victory. Lisk got the ball for 1-16 and was named player of the match.

“A lot of people came out to watch us and this is giving back to their faith,” Lisk said. “I don’t think we’ll get over this for a while. It’s a hellish feeling.”

“My role is simple, I hit the ball hard, try to find the holes, and if it’s in the hole, hit it out of the ground.”

Scotland reached the last five overs needing 47 runs, with the match hanging in the balance. Leask hit two sixes in his 19 overs of the 17th over which made the chase more comfortable.

Purrington finished with a six off the third ball of the 19th over.

“It’s a great competition between us, and in the World Cup there is no better chance after putting 150 points on the list to get the win we so desperately need,” Erasmus said. “Unfortunately we let this get away.”

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