In a thrilling encounter, the US triumphed over Pakistan in a Super Over after tying the score in a dramatic T20 World Cup match on Thursday.
The game, held between Pakistan and the US, went to a Super Over when the US leveled the scores on the final ball of the regular 20 overs.
Pakistan ultimately fell short by five runs in the one-over eliminator.
Pakistan set a target of 160 runs, which the US matched precisely, ending their innings at 159-3.
In the Super Over, Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir bowled, and the US posted 18-1. Pakistan could only manage 13-1 in reply, losing the match by five runs.
The US played cautiously throughout, with skipper Monank Patel leading the charge with a crucial 50 before being dismissed by Mohammad Amir.
With 21 runs needed off 12 balls, Amir delivered an excellent over, conceding just six runs and leaving 15 to defend in the final over.
Haris Rauf bowled the last over, but after being hit for a six on the fourth ball, the US needed six runs from the last two balls. Ultimately, Nitish Kumar hit a four on the final delivery to tie the game.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi went wicketless, while Amir, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf each took one wicket.
Earlier in Pakistan’s innings, the US bowlers had a strong start, reducing the Pakistani top-order — Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, and Fakhar Zaman — to 26 runs.
Despite the early setbacks, skipper Babar Azam and Shadab Khan stabilized the innings with a cautious approach, putting Pakistan back in the game.
A 72-run partnership between Babar and Shadab brought Pakistan to a stronger position, but Shadab was dismissed after scoring 40 off 25 balls.
Following Shadab’s dismissal, Azam Khan got out for a golden duck, and the wickets continued to fall.
Babar Azam scored 44 off 43 balls, while Iftikhar Ahmed added 18 runs.
Shaheen Afridi contributed crucial runs down the order, scoring 23 off 16 balls, helping Pakistan finish at 159-7 in their allotted overs.
Playing XIs
- USA: Steven Taylor, Monank Patel (capt, wk), Andries Gous, Aaron Jones, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan
- Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
