It took some ugly batting and a hardworking fourth-wicket partnership for India to overcome a spirited challenge from the United States of America and register a seven-wicket victory. Playing in the final match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, India became the first team from Group A to book a berth in the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Arshdeep Singh’s fine bowling performance (4-9), backed by Hardik Pandya’s good show with the ball, helped India restrict the USA to 110/8 after Rohit Sharma opted to bowl on a surface that continued to be a struggle for the batters. In reply, the hosts put India under pressure with early wickets and some tight bowling. But Suryakumar’s (50* off 49) and Shivam Dube (31* off 35) put on an unbroken 67-run stand off 65 deliveries to help India over the line with 10 deliveries to spare.
The difference: Death overs, and crucial penalty runs
Run-scoring was hard work for both teams in all phases of the match and India’s progress in the chase was neck and neck with the USA. India needed 35 in the last five overs but got five bonus runs before the start of the 16th over as the USA were penalised for breaching the 60-second rule (starting an over within 60 seconds of completing the previous over) for the third time in the innings; USA became the first team to be penalised for breaching it. India raced away to the target after that, winning with more than an over to spare. “10-15 runs short,” reckoned stand-in captain Aaron Jones, and the penalty runs only worsened it for the USA towards the end.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Powerplay: Arshdeep strikes put USA in a choke
Phase score – 18/2 [RR: 3.00, 4s/6s: 0/1]
The USA were in early trouble as they lost two wickets in the first over. Arshdeep struck off the first ball of the match, trapping Shayan Jahangir (replacement for an injured Monank Patel) in front with an inswinging delivery and later in the over had Andries Gous caught with a short of length delivery that had extra bounce. Mohammed Siraj went past the outside edge of Jones’s bat a few times in the fourth over before the stand-in USA captain top-edged a pull past the fence for the first boundary shot in the match. But there was not much progress made in terms of run-scoring despite the six, with Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya conceding just one apiece from their opening overs. As a result, USA registered the lowest powerplay score in T20Is and the third lowest in this World Cup.
Middle overs: USA make steady progress
Phase score – 63/3 [RR: 7.00, 4s/6s: 2/4]
With the innings going nowhere, Jones tried to force the pace against Pandya but fell in that attempt, top-edging a pull. The USA got their first four when Nitish Kumar got an outside edge off Dube but Steven Taylor was completely in control when he put away a short-pitched delivery past deep midwicket for a six. Taylor and Nitish put on a useful 31-run stand, which included a straight six for the former off Axar Patel. But the left-arm spinner had the last laugh, getting the opener bowled off an inside edge. Nitish was playing some good shots despite not finding the boundaries, until he took on Pandya in the 13th over – going straight for a six and a four. Corey Anderson went big in the 14th over, clearing the deep midwicket fence off Axar. Arshdeep returned to end Nitish’s stay, with Siraj pulling off an excellent catch close to the deep square leg boundary.
Death overs: Arshdeep, Pandya help India restrict USA
Phase score – 29/3 [RR: 5.80, 4s/6s: 2/1]
Opening the face of his bat, Anderson managed a four off Bumrah before Harmeet Singh took on India’s premier bowler, getting a six off a top-edge and carving one over cover for three, as the USA got 14 off the 16th over to enter the 90s. India lost a review for a caught-behind decision against Harmeet in the 17th over, but Pandya accounted for Anderson and finished with good figures of 2-14. Harmeet had a lucky break, put down by Siraj off Arshdeep, but the left-arm pacer struck soon enough to find the edge of the left-handed batter as he registered the best figures by an Indian bowler in the T20 World Cup. Bumrah gave away only three in the 19th over but finished wicketless for 25 runs, and it was similar story for Siraj who was hit for a four in the final over by Shadley van Schalkwyk.
INDIA
Powerplay: Netravalkar strikes early to keep India quiet
Phase score – 33/2 [RR: 5.50, 4s/6s: 1/2]
Virat Kohli’s lean run in this tournament continued as fell for a golden duck, edging an away-going delivery from Saurabh Netravalkar to get out without scoring for the first time in T20 World Cups. Rishabh Pant scored the first boundary, punching one from Ali Khan over point. Netravalkar then picked up another big wicket as Rohit chipped a catch to to mid off after the ball stopped on him. In the same over, Suryakumar Yadav was struck on the glove by a ball with extra bounce and the batter had to get his right thumb strapped. A typical lap shot off Netravalkar helped Suryakumar get the first six of the innings while Pant’s first six came via a pick-up shot over deep backward square leg off Jasdeep Singh. Despite that, the USA kept the opposition quiet for most parts in the first six overs, with India registering their lowest total in the powerplay in this World Cup.
Middle overs: Suryakumar, Dube put on a hardworking stand
Phase score – 43/3 [RR: 4.77, 4s/6s: 2/1]
Just when India were getting some momentum, they suffered another setback as Pant was bowled by a delivery from Ali Khan that kept low and skidded through. Only 14 runs came in the four overs after the powerplay, with Dube struggling to get going, as India got to 47/3 at the halfway stage, only five more than what the USA had managed. The indifferent bounce and accurate lines from the US bowlers led to a boundary drought, which lasted 32 deliveries, and came to an end when Dube edged a Jasdeep delivery past the ‘keeper for a four. Suryakumar, looking to push on, almost fell in his attempt to play a chip shot off van Schalkwyk, reprieved in the end by Netravalkar putting down the catch. In the next over, Suryakumar got a much-needed boundary, flicking an Ali Khan delivery over midwicket. Dube’s release shot also came in the midwicket region as he carted a six off Anderson.
Death overs: Suryakumar, Dube help India into Super 8
Phase score – 35/0 [RR: 10.51, 4s/6s: 1/1]
Before the start of the 16th over, penalty runs were awarded to India and the USA’s game came apart after that. It came down to a run-a-ball for the last four overs and Suryakumar struck a maximum over cover and played a scoop shot for a four off van Schalkwyk, bringing it down to 9 off 18. India needed 4 off 12 balls when Suryakumar took a single off Ali Khan to bring up a 49-ball fifty, and Dube finished it off with a straight drive for a couple to register India’s third straight win and also the highest successful run-chase at this venue.
Brief scores: United States of America 110/8 in 20 overs (Nitish Kumar 27, Steven Taylor 24; Arshdeep Singh 4-9, Hardik Pandya 2-14) lost to India 111/3 in 18.2 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 50*, Shivam Dube 31*; Saurabh Netravalkar 2-18) by 7 wickets.
What next for the teams?
With the New York leg coming to an end, India will move to Florida where they will face Canada on June 15 in their final group match. USA will face Ireland a day earlier at the same venue, with their Super 8 qualification fate still in their hands.
